Syndication
by Kalenath Shok-Tan
Summary: The Tenno are not alone in the Solar System. The Grineer, Corpus and Infested are their enemies. But there are others in the system, who even now fight to survive and thrive. Still... there are some people you do not anger. Ever. This is a fanfiction. I own none of the rights to Warframe.
1. Chapter 1

**Ready**

Lis lay in the pod while it filled and tried not to fret. It was not uncomfortable, far from it. Her body felt...wrong with all of the painkillers that the various docs had insisted on dosing her with when they removed her from her warframe. She hadn't made any noise, indeed, hadn't reacted at all. But they knew. Oh, yes... They knew how much it had hurt her.

It was alien to her, this feeling of helplessness. Even at her worst, when she had been shot full of holes while escaping her former clan, she hadn't been this weak. Now she couldn't even move her hand. The less said about the feelings below her navel the better. She had been hit in the belly, the high powered Grineer bullet passing clean through her human form damaging everything it passed close to, including her spine which had been severed cleanly. The warframe she had assumed immediately after being injured had replaced her damaged nerves with its own technological pathways, but the damage to her body had been extreme and the warframe hadn't healed any of it. Indeed, warframes maintained everything in a stasis of sorts. She had gotten used to being in pain. This...was different. She was weak. She _hated_ being weak.

"Lis?" Healer Iriana's voice came directly to her auditory nerves. They didn't want to connect her neural net too quickly after the trauma she had undergone when they removed her from her warframe. Lis was no medic, so she wasn't sure how bad the damage had been. However, she knew she had shocked Iriana in particular. The Healer was only _this_ gentle with someone who was at death's door. "How you doing?"

_Peachy._ Lis tried to keep the sourness from her mental tone and mostly managed. She hadn't wanted this. She had a tube down her throat to aid her breathing while the docs did whatever they were going to do, so she could only communicate like this. She was a warrior, not a doc, so she really had no idea _what_ they were going to do to heal her. The ICU pod that would be her home for the foreseeable future wasn't uncomfortable, but the fluid it was filling with felt _very_ odd. _Just peachy._

"It will be okay, Lis." Iriana promised her. "As soon as we are sure you are set, we will shift you into a virtual environment. You will not be alone."

_I am not worried about that, Healer._ Lis said with a mental sigh. _Sara is going to be stressed. Serene __**is**__ stressed. Violet is stressed... Heck, __**everyone**__ is. I... _She trailed off. _I just want this done._

"It will take as long as it takes, Lis." Iriana chided her gently. "At least we know the regen will work, if not how long it will take for you. I would prefer you in the Tower hospital, but there was no chance of you agreeing to go with Sara going to school here, so... This is the best choice available. And we can access some... other techniques here."

_You __**can**__ say it, Iriana._ Lis said with a silent snort. _The Caretakers can help me here. Not so much at your hospital._

"Well..." Iriana sighed. "No. The Tower is adamant that the only people it will let in are the hospital staff and patients. Understandable, that paranoia... Especially after what happened with..." She broke off abruptly and Lis sighed. "Sorry." Iriana said quickly. "Didn't mean to bring back bad memories."

_Working at the tower was marvelous, Iriana._ Lis said quietly. _I really wanted to make a difference. To make up for what happened._

"You did." Iriana said with a smile in her voice. "Serene was a handful, and you helped enormously." Lis smiled as well but it hadn't been a laughing matter at first.

Serene had lost her legs due to a combination of radiation and nanobot alteration. She had very nearly been Corrupted by a mad tower that the Corpus had accessed. The religious fanatics hadn't been prepared for the sudden influx of microscopic machines nor the Corrupted that had poured from the portal as soon as they had opened it. Only Serene's quick action had prevented that entire base, and probably far more, from being overrun by mad Orokin machines. It had cost the female Tenno her legs and very nearly her sanity to close the portal. But she had survived. Mostly.

Then.. The tower. Serene had been at the tower when Lis, trying to escape from the renegades who she had once called kin and clan had tracked Lis after Lis had fled. The clan... Lis' thoughts shied away from that. Karl had been very thorough in his attack on the renegades who had followed his brother. Lis had expected to die. To Nicholas -her former clan leader who she had fled from-, to Karl -who hunted and killed the renegades of his/her clan-, to Serene and Jasmina after stopping Karl from killing himself. None of that had happened. Instead, she had been Corrupted. Or so she had thought.

When Karl had asked, Lis had agreed to help Serene. It hadn't even occurred to the female Tenno to lie or dissemble. She still loved Karl. She likely always would. Without the emotional controls that Lis had assumed were permanent, it might have been very bad to watch Serene grow large with Rocky. Karl's child even if the hidebound Rhino wouldn't let Serene acknowledge him as the father. Serene... had not had a good time in bearing the child. Lis had been there for her every step of the way. For a time, Lis had despaired as much as the tower let her when Serene had been increasingly apathetic. For a long while, it seemed as if Serene was passively suicidal. She wouldn't _do_ anything no matter how much Sara, Mishka, Iriana and Lis nagged her. But then... Karl had returned.

Lis had been busy trying to get Serene to eat when Karl had come. He had swept in and essentially grabbed Serene by the collar and jerked her up short. Lis had been just as dumbfounded as everyone else when Karl had dragged Serene, Sara and Mishka as well as herself first to his dojo -a place Lis had never thought to see again- and then to a storied hideaway. And what had happened after...

Lis shook herself a little. She was woolgathering. This was so unlike her. Then again, this whole situation was unlike anything she remembered. Cryo-nesia had taken its toll on her as on all Tenno. But she did remember being hurt before, just never this bad.

_How is Sara coping?_ Lis asked over the silent linkage. _And Serene?_

"Sara is doing homework with Mishka." Iriana said with a hint of quite pride in her daughters. One of flesh and one adopted. "Serene is handling Rocky. They are safe, Lis. You can rest now."

_I..._ Lis sighed. _I don't know if I can. I have always had to be on edge, Healer. This is... wrong._

"It's not wrong, Lis." Iriana corrected her gently as the feeling of fluid climbed up her body. "Your body is damaged. You need downtime. You need to relax." The word 'relax' reverberated through Lis for some reason. Lis felt herself slowly relaxing despite her tension.

_How is Violet doing? _Lis said as she fought to stay awake._ And Abigail?_

_Ask them yourself. _This time, Iriana's quiet voice came over the mental link as Lis felt the fluid covering her face.

Without sense of transition, she was... elsewhere. But it was not what she expected.

"Get out!" The voice was familiar. Violet. Lis stared as she materialized in the virtual world with Abigail, Violet and... a woman she did not know. Tall woman who wore a headdress of some kind that covered her eyes. _Not_ the Lotus. The odd visor that covered her eyes was slitted, like some kind of shade? Or blind? Not like the blindfold that the Oracle wore either. No, this was... different. Lis looked down at herself and nodded a little. She wore the usual bodysuit that Tenno wore when not in warframes. So, the virtual world was within parameters.

"You know I speak the truth." The woman said in a voice that was probably meant to be kind. It... didn't quite work. She wasn't. "We need you and her."

Lis stared. She was standing behind the stranger. Abigail was huddled against one wall. From her shudders, she was crying. Violet stood between Abigail and the other, her posture furious.

"_You_ can go to _hell_." Violet snapped. "You hurt her and you will answer to me."

"And me." Lis said quietly as she moved to stand by Violet. This was virtual. It was supposed to be a meeting place. A place of rest and conversation. No one else was supposed to be able to enter. Violet did not move or lower her hands, but Abigail looked up, her eyes streaming tears.

"Ah..." The odd woman said quietly. "Lis F-43." Lis stilled. What the _hell? _"You are needed as well."

"Violet?" Lis asked, ignoring the woman despite the shivers that poured through her. "You okay?"

"This..._person_ just showed up and demanded we aid her." Violet snapped. "She represents some group called New Loka."

New Loka. Lis did not take her eyes from the oddly garbed human woman. They were one of the Syndicates. One of the groups in the Solar System unaffiliated with either the Corpus or Grineer. She didn't know much more than that. It hadn't been germane to her existence before.

"I see." Lis' tone was flat.

"We need all three of you." The woman said sternly. "You are all pure. We need you. We will have you." Lis... went still. Did she _really_ mean...?

"Need _us_?" Lis asked in a quiet and dangerous voice. "Or our _DNA?_"

"She wants me to bear kids!" Abigail cried. "I _can't!_"

"The damage that was done can be undone!" The woman declared. "You and Violet and you, Lis F-43... All of you will be welcome. We need you. We..."

"What you _need_..." Lis said in a quiet voice that shut the other woman up. Calm, cold and matter of fact. "... is to _leave_ before Violet or I hurt you. Which we will. Leave Abigail _alone_. This is your _only_ warning. Security. Intruder." She raised a hand and the woman gave a short scream as golden code grabbed her and she vanished. "Damn." Lis said with a sigh. "Violet? What happened?"

"We came in and started to talk..." Violet said as she knelt by the still crying Abigail. "Then... _she_ showed up. Never seen her before. I read some reports on New Loka, but they all seemed harmless. A fringe group, dedicated to rebuilding _Earth_ of all things."

Lis bit her lip as she thought. Earth was a devastated wasteland, an irradiated and inhospitable place. Not to mention, it was the home base for the Grineer Empire, so it had more clones than anywhere else in system. It had been the cradle of mankind and the seat of power of the Orokin. So... She shook her head.

"We need to report this." Lis said with a sigh. "But right now..." She knelt beside Abigail and took one of the girl's hands in her own as Violet took the other. Here, the girl looked her true age, fifteen. "Abigail, it's okay..." Lis crooned. "It's okay."

"She wanted me to bear children!" Abigail cried. "I can't. Not after... Not now." Lis did not reply and Abigail paused. "Can I?"

"This is not how I wanted to discuss this." Lis said sadly. "But we have some... new techniques for cellular regeneration." Abigail and Violet both froze. "I lost something when I was hurt." Violet stared from Abigail to Lis and back. "The docs said they can give it back. I... am not sure... I am a soldier, not a mother."

"I..." Abigail stared at the Tenno, her tears still falling. "You are Tenno. Why would they help me? Or Violet?"

"Do you really think it matters?" Lis asked gently as she sat and pulled Abigail up onto her lap. The girl stared at Lis and then, with an incoherent cry, hugged the Tenno tight. "You are hurting. I may no longer be human, but I do remember being such. And in the end? I am a woman too. If we can help you... and you want us to help you, then we must."

"Violet?" Abigail begged.

"I cannot advise you on this, Abigail." Violet said quietly. "I am happy with who and what I am. The road was rocky. But I am who I am _because_ of what I endured. You are still young. If they can help you, give you a chance to make things better..."

Abigail's sobs slowed as the two women helped her to calm. Lis rocked her gently and Abigail sighed.

"I miss the others." The youngest of the three said sadly. "I didn't think I would, but I do. The healers were gentle, gave us time to talk. The others accepted it... But... I miss them."

"I miss never having the chance to get one of those Broadside things." Violet said with as smile that Lis shared. Abigail gave a tiny one. "That was fun!"

"You have an... odd definition of 'fun' Violet." Abigail said as she snuggled closer to Lis. "I am sorry for being such a whiny brat. I... It was so sudden. She just appeared and said I would bear the future..."

"Well, _she_ can kiss my butt." Violet said with a growl. "_First_, you have been traumatized. More than once. _Second_, you are still my responsibility until and unless you decide to go another way." Abigail stiffened and Violet sighed. "Boss knows, Abigail. He said... 'Her choice.' So..." She shrugged.

"And _third_..." Lis said quietly. "There are other jobs open to both of you." Violet went still as Abigail stared up at the Tenno holding her gently. "They wanted me to ask. We can always use more techs, Abigail. Always." Lis said with a nod. "As for Violet..."

"I am still finding my way." Violet said quietly, shaking her head. "I...wasn't ready to go back into the field, but it was needed to handle the tower, so I went." Lis smiled sadly and held out a hand. Violet stared at it for a moment and then knelt to join the embrace. "You have all been far, far kinder than I expected Tenno to be."

"Oh, don't fool yourself." Lis said with a laugh. "We are _not_ kind, generally. We are weapons, no more, no less. Tools of directed destruction. But... you and Abigail are both broken still." Her tone was sad now. "We know about being broken. All of us. We may not remember all of it, but the feelings? Oh yes."

"You are so nice." Abigail was crying again as she hugged Lis.

"While I am in here, I can be." Lis said sadly. "When I go back out, I have to be Tenno again. A cold, merciless, silent killing machine."

"But you are more than that!" Abigail protested.

"Am I?"

**Titan, Enclave of the Oracles of Saturn**

_There are times I like this and then there are times like this..._ Janet thought to herself sadly as she pondered. _When I really, __**really**__ hate this._ She shook her head slowly to the hologram who stood in front of her. "You are not welcome here." She lay in the couch that hid her life support apparatus. Coincidentally, it gave her a regal look. The obscuring veil and headdress hid the bandages and burn dressing quite nicely too.

"We need help!" The woman in armor wasn't one to grovel. But she also was desperate. Even as a hologram, that was clear. "Steel Meridian needs help! We are trying to make a difference."

"What you are _making_ is a _mess_." Janet said, wincing at the cold haughtiness she was forced to project. She had to play this part though. She had to. If she didn't... "I will not speak against your choices. I think what you are doing is noble. _Stupid_, but noble." She could feel the other's woman's temper start to rise. "I don't know who gave you the information on how to contact me..." A lie. Janet knew exactly who had given Steel Meridian the contact information. _She_ had. Or, she had given it to Nikis, who had done everything she had asked, no matter how convoluted to get it to the hands of the armored woman. Once a spy, always a spy. "But I cannot help you over any of the other factions. I must remain neutral in this. I _have_ to be neutral."

"I..." The armored woman slumped a bit. "I see."

"You have my word..." Janet said quietly. "That anything I do will help _all_ of the factions equally or _none_ of them. I have far larger concerns than a group of clone deserters no matter _how_ altruistic their actions may seem." She moderated her tone as the armored woman winced again. "But _this_ I will say..." Janet hid a smile as the other perked up. The Oracle was offering something. "I do think that what you are doing will have long term repercussions. Not always in the ways you might think. But you are far more easy to read than the lunatics with the Red Veil." The former Grineer winced again and Janet could relate. Considering that the Red Veil wanted to 'purge' the entire system, of everything _they_ considered to be corrupt... They had even attacked some Tenno, which was _not_ very wise of them.

"Then..." The other woman slumped. "I apologize for wasting your time."

"You did not." Janet said quietly. "I knew that your faction, as well as all of the others, would hear of me eventually. I am glad you sought me out first and were polite. Rest assured, that if I _can_ help, I will. But in most cases..." She shrugged despite a lingering pain in her shoulder blades. She was still recovering and would be for years. "My 'help' would _cause_ far more problems than it would _solve_."

"And you see it _all_, don't you?" The armored woman asked. Janet nodded and the other whistled in awe. "Sucks to be you, don't it?"

"If _only_ you knew..."


	2. Chapter 2

**Cleansing**

"She did _what_?"

Karen knew her tone was less than polite, but at the moment, she couldn't really have cared less. She wasn't very comfortable in the utilitarian bodysuit she wore, but the instructions she had received had been clear. No ID that showed she was an Orokin Marine. Added to that, no one really needed to know she was a Tenno. _Tenno_ knew who she was just looking at her. No one else needed to.

"I know." The human male who was her boss of sorts with the syndicate said with a sigh. She knew his name, but no one outside of New Loka was supposed to use it, so she would not use it. He had a designation instead. She found it difficult to remember, a long list of alphanumeric characters. Mentally, she tagged him as 'Bob the Medallion Guy'. "She was _supposed_ to ask their help and apparently, she _demanded_ it." Karen stared at him and then slowly put her hand to her face with a groan that the other shared. "I _know_. _Everyone_ else has basically said the same thing. That was _not_ the plan. Not even _close_. Then Security got involved."

"What was she _thinking?_ I don't know _anything_ she could have done to make them angrier." Karen said slowly. "Violating the rules is one thing... But _that_?" She shook her head, hand still plastered to her face. "Not only did she hack the system to access a restricted virtual environment..."

"Bad _enough_ getting caught doing that, but..." Her boss replied. "Apparently, she tried to browbeat the two she was supposed to talk to." He shook his head as well. Karen made a disgusted noise and he nodded. "Yeah. We have our work cut out for us trying to smooth _this_ over. Security is not happy. With her _or_ with the rest of us."

"Can't really blame them." Karen said weakly. "All of the other factions are trying to find weaknesses, seeking advantage. But this..." She shook her head. "They won't kick us off Relays, but we are _going_ to see some kind of sanctions from this... fiasco."

She hadn't planned on taking any leadership roles. She had been asked to affiliate herself with the syndicate. It made sense to keep an eye on all of the various factions, and New Loka had seemed like a reasonably good group. Karen hadn't even hesitated when Eliza and Karl had asked her to join the group. She was still running missions occasionally, but she was also learning a lot, from a lot of people. And not just fighting. She was learning law, politics, diplomacy, history... The list went on and on. She loved to learn and did so very quickly. But she knew she could not learn everything she wanted. Not even with a Tenno's lifespan.

The moment she had arrived at Larunda Relay and asked to join the group, however, they had taken her aside and given her a very comprehensive skills evaluation mixed with a very subtle but thorough psychological screening. She hadn't had much of a problem hiding what she needed to, she had been trained by the best after all. But the problem had been that her basic competence scores had been far, far higher than normal. So she had been given tasks commensurate to her skill levels. Including this.

Karen stood with her boss just inside the entryway to the virtual environment that served as the New Loka headquarters on the Larunda Relay. Ordinarily, her boss was the designated person to whom medallions were brought. With people -both Tenno and other- going into places that had not been opened since the Collapse of the Orokin Empire, many, many things that the factions found interesting were being discovered. Baro'Ti Keer was merely one of hundreds of explorers and adventurers who were going into dark places. Unfortunately, if they were not Tenno, many of said adventurers never returned from the dark places. Indeed, some _Tenno_ did not. But when they did, often they brought relics of interest to the various factions. Karen's contact was the one who vetted the artifacts that were brought in. Karen? She was the one who made sure that whatever the things were, they were not dangerous. The _last_ thing anyone wanted was for some ancient explosive device to be brought in and start ticking. It was something she was good at.

"No." The other said quietly. "Can't blame them at all. But the others... The others will not understand." Karen nodded soberly.

One major problem with any organization that espoused a religion, as New Loka pretty much was... Was that it attracted people who often wanted the religion to think for them. That hadn't changed in all the time since humans had come down from the trees and started living in villages so many eons ago. The words 'religious fanatic' had many connotations. Most of them bad.

"Some of them will understand." Karen said firmly. "But yes. We need to get out in front of this. Spin?" She asked, quailing inside. She did not want to lie. Not here, not now. Not over _this_.

"There will be no spin." An unexpected voice had both turning. They both straightened on seeing the form of their superior striding towards them. Her face was... sad. "We will tell the faithful the truth. I erred."

"Ma'am...?" Karen asked slowly.

"We are not perfect, Facilitator Karen." The hooded woman said with a sigh. Karen hadn't been through the full initiation rites. One of those involved her giving up her old name and she wasn't about to do that. Odd that no one had pushed her. They needed her, that was clear. The faith that many of New Loka had was quite easy to see and hear. But not many had a clue how the real world worked. "Me especially. I saw that girl... and..." She bowed her head. "She is innocent. Pure and innocent. Both of them are pure even if the _other_ -the one called Violet- is no innocent. I saw Lis F-43 as well. And _she_... is as we had been led to believe. _Pure human_." Reverence sang in her voice as she shook her head. "I was... too driven. Too blunt. I may have burned our chance to recruit them. Any of them."

Karen and her boss went still, but likely for different reasons. Karen knew who Lis F-43 actually _was_. If New Loka tried anything nefarious with Lis... it would get messy. Very messy, very quickly.

"And... now?" Karen was glad her boss spoke. She wasn't sure she could keep her voice level. If these humans did try anything... It would not end well. She wasn't -quite- one of them. But she did like many of them. They were mostly harmless. _Most_ of them anyway. Some of them gave Karen bad feelings. She was not sure why just yet.

"For now we can do nothing." The woman who led this faction of New Loka said quietly. "I will need to find a way to apologize. For my rudeness. For my arrogance." She shook herself gently. "For _right_ now? I need to cleanse myself. Facilitator?"

"Ma'am?" Karen asked, unsure.

"Will you join me?" The words were gentle, calming. The older woman held out a hand that Karen took.

"Gladly." Karen replied.

The other led Karen to the pool that was the main feature of the New Loka virtual environment in each Relay. But the pool... was not virtual. Karen walked into the spray with the other and did not react as the cold water sluiced over her. Karen wasn't sure how they had managed it, but they had. The water was real. Real enough to chill the bones of several of the worshippers despite their bodysuits. Karen glanced at some of the shivering souls and then at her ultimate boss who nodded. Attendants nearby moved to aid those who were shivering the hardest.

"Faith can move mountains..." The New Loka leader said quietly as she moved under a waterfall. "But the human body has always had limits. You are strong." She commented. Karen shrugged.

"I am not pure." Karen countered automatically.

"But you can be." The other's voice was gentle now as she guided Karen under a falling sheet f water. A twitch on her arm and Karen knelt under the fall. "You have more experience than many in our Order, Facilitator. What do you think I should do to correct my amazing breach of protocol?"

"I am no politician." Karen said quietly, ignoring the cold as she had been taught and trained. The water... felt good running over her. "But... If I made a mistake, I would need to fix it."

"And I _did_ make a mistake." The other said quietly. "Too loud, too forceful. Too abrasive. I saw them. So pure and I was overcome. We need them. But willing. Not slaves or servants." She shook her head. "The other factions know of them too. This is going to be... bad."

"For us or for them?" Karen asked, bowing her head.

"Yes." The other woman said quietly as she too knelt and cupped water to run it over her face. "We will be cleansed. Humanity will be cleansed and reborn."

Why did those words send a chill through Karen? She fought it back and focused. She had a job to do.

**Not that far away**

"Ah... sir..." The security guard for the landing area was nervous. Who _wouldn't_ be? _Everyone_ knew who the pure white Rhino warframe belonged to even without the Orthos Prime he carried. Karl paused in his stride and looked at the security guard who suddenly wanted to be _anywhere_ but where he was. "Why are you carrying the _head_ of an Infested?"

"I am returning it." The cold voice was calm, but everything seemed to stop in the bay for a moment.

"I... do not understand, Tenno." The security guard said with credible fortitude. "That is... Oh." He paused as Karl turned the head and a... collar shone on its neck. On it was a familiar symbol. "Oh... dear..."

"Rest easy, guard." Karl was still quiet. "I will do no _physical_ violence here this day." The guard looked at him and Karl nodded. "My word on it."

"Physical?" The guard hadn't _meant_ to squeak. But who could blame him? Karl was _easily_ three times his size and what was more? The Rhino was obviously angry. But focused. So focused.

"I am going to have some words with some people." Karl might have been a statue for all the movement he made. "Words they will not like. But a line has been crossed that should not have been crossed. They think they are above justice. Perhaps they _are_." He gave what might have been a shrug. "But there are many forms of justice. I am delivering poetic justice this day. Please let the other security between here and the Arbiters of Hexis' embassy that I will be passing. I want no misunderstandings. _This_ has been sterilized." He twitched the head. "So... No chance of infection from it."

"Do you need an escort?" The guard asked and then mentally kicked himself. Why would _Karl_ of all people need an escort? Karl shook his head. "Then... Ah... Enjoy your stay?" The guard's tone was half question, half plea.

"I will be talking to several people after the Arbiters." Karl's words were calm. "Saying the same things to all of them. None of them will be happy. But I find I do not care much." The guard nodded and moved aside.

Karl stalked into the Relay. Everyone... made way for him. Either the Infested head that he carried or the almost palpable aura of 'angry Rhino' made his path an easy one. It was not a long way. Relays were not that large. They had been designed to be modular, easy to upgrade. But they had been specifically designed to be easy to navigate. Often, Tenno only had minutes between missions and not a lot of time to be hunting for out of the way places. He found the door he had been seeking quickly and it opened for him.

"Ah... sir?" The designated being who served as a doorman/medallion collector for the Arbiters stood just inside the door, his posture stunned.

"Move." Karl said as he started forward. He hadn't really planned what to say. He wasn't an eloquent person by nature. But he had a message to deliver and he would.

"Tenno... I need to..." The doorman's words slithered to a halt as Karl turned to glare at him. "Ah..."

"I am returning something that you people misplaced." Karl said with a snap as he moved past the stunned doorman and into the embassy proper.

As always, the place rubbed him very much the wrong way. Arbiters. He hated the Arbiters. Always preaching about how justice was paramount when they ignored injustices that did not interest them. Honor had no meaning for these people. Their concept of justice was absolute. Guilty or innocent with nothing in between. Things... did not work that way in real life. There _were_ shades of gray.

He strode to the end of the walkway and threw the Infested head down at his feet. He toed it until the collar with the insignia of the Arbiters of Hexis was clearly visible. He did not give any of them time to speak.

"Just so we understand one another..." Karl worked to keep his voice conversational. "I do not dictate to my clan what faction they support, if any. I personally do not support any of the factions as they stand. You all _disgust_ me." One of the kneeling Arbiters started to speak and Karl cut him off. "I care not for your personal squabbles. I care not for your goal to see _all_ of the guilty punished. No matter the level of their guilt or any extenuating circumstances. _All_ I care about is this... if you attack a member of my clan again, I _will_ ask my people who do so to reconsider supporting you. Quais is not perfect. No Tenno is. But you sending a squad of mind controlled feral Infested after him has earned my ire. And other peoples'."

It... hadn't been easy for Karl to talk Jasmina into letting _him_ send the message. Jasmina hadn't lost any of her temper. She had a lot of hate buried inside that tall lean form. She did not trust, even now and Karl did not blame her. But the message had to be sent clearly, not mixed with invective and Karl had been the best choice. Another of the Arbiters jerked and likely would have spoken, but Karl did not give him the chance.

"I am _not_ a politician. I am _not_ a diplomat. All I will say is _this_..." Karl said softly. "As I recall, from the Code as I was taught as a child: 'Tenno serve, we do not rule'. _You_ want us to rule. My clan will not. My clan will follow the First's decree. And you step on _my_ honor or my clan's honor at your _peril_."

At that, every single Arbiter went still. All knew what this being was capable of. Karl turned on his heel and stalked from the hall before any could find their tongues. He ignored the halfhearted sputtering of the doorman as he stalked out of the hall.

"Karl... I..." An Ash warframe came from a shadow nearby and his head was hanging. "I am sorry."

"It is not your fault, Quais." Karl said quietly as he walked towards his next meeting. "If it is anyone's, it is mine. I am supposed to keep tabs on what my clan gets up to." He shook his head. "And I can see the appeal."

"I... was angry." Quais said softly. "_Am_ angry. I wasn't thinking about the big picture."

"Quais, that is _my_ job." Karl chided his clanmate gently. "_Your_ job is as it always was. Do the mission." He looked at the red crossbow that hung on the Ash's hip and shook his head a little. "No more, no less. But we need to make it clear to all of them. We will not be held accountable to them. Any of them. We are not involved in their agendas. We cannot be. We have larger concerns. If I have to, I will pull everyone in and get you all to rid yourselves of your allegiances. I don't _want_ to, it smacks of controlling too tightly. If I have to, I will and we go on from there. But _only_ if I have to."

"Most of them do mean well." Quais said with a sigh. "But their views are so... So..." He paused, thinking.

"Limited." Karl offered and Quais nodded in agreement. "I _do_ understand, Quais. Aeron cannot even _talk_ to the Perrin Sequence. _You_ cannot talk to Steel Meridian. The _less_ said about Olim's interactions with Cephalon Suda the better..." Quais chuckled at that. The Cyberlancer had been... annoyed by the Cephalon. It was getting to the point where Olim was contemplating launching cyberwarfare attacks just to keep the thing from pestering him and his sister. The scary thing? He and Riana would probably win. "And now... New Loka..." Karl sighed and Quais nodded.

Abigail was a prodigy in many ways. She was smart, insanely smart. She was gifted and she was compassionate. She wanted to help. But she had been raised in the Corpus. Her view of the world outside it was... slim to say the least. She was, very much, an innocent. Karl and his clan had promised the girl protection. It wasn't common knowledge, but there was a Tenno near her at all times. Either one of Karl's people or a member of the Royal Guard. Anyone trying to kidnap her would regret it. Briefly. And that didn't even go _into_ what _Nikis_ would do.

"Ah... Karl..." Quais said quickly, coming to a halt as a dark form stalked form a cross corridor ahead of them and into the embassy for the Red Veil. "Was that...?"

"Oh dear..." Karl actually gulped. Who could blame him?

"Yeah. That was Nikis."

The silent '_oh shit'_ was deafening.


	3. Chapter 3

**Demands**

Karl and Quais eased up to the door of the Red Veil embassy, but no sound came from inside.

"Do... we...?" Quais shook his head. "I mean... That is _Nikis_..."

"I know." Karl said sourly. "I trained under him." He sighed. "Go on, get back to your missions. I will handle this." Quais darted away, obviously glad to escape and Karl sighed. "Somehow..."

The Rhino squared his shoulders and started forward. Nikis never liked subterfuge. Oh, the curmudgeon gunfighter was _good_ at it, but he never _liked_ it. He would thump you, but he wouldn't do more if you took it solidly. Karl would survive whatever Nikis did, although it would likely hurt. The door opened and Karl paused. Wasn't there supposed to be someone just inside? Virtual world or no... it was... why was it _dark_? He had seen holos, so where was the _fire_? The whole room was dark, but several shadowed forms huddled by one wall with a darker form in the middle of it. It took _no_ imagination to figure out who was the one in the middle.

"Get in here, _numbnuts_." Nikis' voice came from the dark form and Karl sighed but stepped inside. Obviously, the Nekros was not happy. "I was just explaining to these Red Veil dimwits that while _some_ might think it okay to implicate others, like the Arbiters _tried_ to do, using feral Chargers..." Karl went still. Nikis _knew_ it had been a setup? "_I_ will not take kindly to _anyone_ attacking people under my protection."

"Whoever you..." One of the people started to speak and then gave a scream as orange energy flared from him to the Nekros' gauntlet. Then it was gone.

"Everyone freeze." Karl said quietly. "Let's not do anything _stupid_ with Grandmaster Nikis the _gunfighter_ ready to _show_ you the error of your ways, okay?"

"Ah..." The voice sounded stunned or terrified now. Karl could relate. And yes. He heard the distinct sounds of at least two people messing themselves. They obviously hadn't known who had just stalked in and apparently put their _fire_ out.

"I haven't hurt anyone. _Yet_." Nikis said savagely. "I want to. I _so_ want to. You are all _playing_ your pathetic little power games while the Solar System crumbles around you." He shrugged. "Whatever. Not my concern. But..." Karl could make out the Nekros now even with the energy fading. He was wagging a finger at the huddled forms. "I _know_ you people are going to be stupid. It is what your kind _do_. I have seen it so many times. None of you _ever_ learn except the hard way. But there are certain forms to be followed. So..." He turned to Karl. "You got anything to add?"

"You are doing nicely." Karl said with a shrug of his own. "Wouldn't dream of interfering." Nikis chortled a bit at that. It did not make him sound sane. Not at all.

"And you do not want me to kick your ass." Nikis said with a snort. "Fair enough." He turned back to the huddled shadows. "You spread the word. All of you. You take it to that crazy Cantis lady or _anyone_ else you want to in your fanatics' hidey holes. But you pass the word to _all_ of you kind. You _will_ leave the girl Abigail _alone_."

"What?" one of the shadows demanded and then he gave a sharp cry as Nikis grabbed him and held him off the ground, seeming without effort. "I don't know what you are _talking_ about!"

"I know." Nikis gave the Red Veil fanatic a shake and threw him into the wall where he slumped down, stunned. "Figured on a preemptive strike. You will hear about her soon enough. And you _will_ leave her alone." Space itself might have warped under his calm words.

"Or?" This from a woman who rose to stand, glaring at Nikis.

"Or you are going to make him angry." Karl said before Nikis could speak. "Trust me, you wouldn't _like_ him when he is angry. _No one_ does."

He was trying very hard not to laugh at this. Here was the Red Veil, a scary and competent organization of killers, including some Tenno. They were dedicated to cleansing the system with a purge of epic proportions. For many of them, it was their religion. He... barely understood religion. It hadn't even been one of Karl's things. He understood the causes and effects, mind you. The Corpus in particular made any religion sour in most Tenno's minds. The Red Veil were fanatics of the first order. And they were all quailing from the not quite angry Nekros. He couldn't blame them. Nikis was a law unto himself. He had told off Emperors, Empresses, judges, lawyers, telemarketers... You name it, he had told them off. He simply didn't _care_. Now? He as a bit better about just shooting people who ticked him off, but he had limits. No one _sane_ pushed those limits.

Nikis glared at Karl and Karl raised empty hands. "Sorry."

"Word of advice, ya silly fools..." Nikis started for the door. "You don't want to push this. Karl wants to talk to you about something else. Me? I have other people to talk to. Starting with that New Loka _bitch_."

"Nikis..." Karl said weakly as the Nekros passed him.

"No one will _die_, moron." Nikis snapped. Was that _humor_ underlying his words? Couldn't be. "But you might want to take a step forward or back." Karl stared at the Nekros and then stepped forward two steps. As the Nekros passed the doorway, the lights in the room came back on and the fire that sat in the middle of it started to roar. He had turned it back on! Then he was gone.

"Let me guess..." Karl said into the sudden silence that was only punctuated by the sounds of the fire. "He came in, asked to speak to your leader and you told him to screw off or something?" He was shaking his head.

"That... _That_ was Nikis?" The Red Veil man who Nikis had manhandled -Tennohandled?- was rising slowly, his gaze at the door.

"Who did you _think_ it was?" Karl demanded. "How many other asshole gunfighter Nekros Tenno have you seen?" He sighed. "You _all_ can count yourselves _lucky_." The woman who had snapped at Nikis snarled at him

"We were promised security!" She said sharply. "They would stop him!"

"_They_ know better. Last time they aimed at him, all of them had their rifles destroyed. In about five seconds. By him. Alone." Karl shook his head. "You really think that just because this is an embassy of sorts that you are _safe? _Nikis doesn't _care_. You threaten something he holds dear and he _will_ shoot you. Or _worse_." All of the Red Veil stared as _Karl_ shuddered a bit. "Feel free. I can't stop you. But word of advice? _Nothing_ you or anyone else you know can do could even _slow him down_. He can and _will_ kill every last one of you if you step past his limits."

"I..." The spokeswoman swallowed hard. "We don't _know_ any Abigail!"

"You will hear about her in a bit." Karl shrugged. "But... um... There is only one person I know of who has _ever_ stopped Nikis from doing what he wanted to do. And if you touch Abigail? She won't _stop_ him. She will egg him on." He shook his head again. "That is not why I am here. You know who I am."

"You are Karl." The man who Nikis had thrown said slowly as he moved to stand near the door.

"Yes." Karl said quietly. "Your factions are new. You are all jockeying for position, seeking support and allies. Nothing wrong with that." Karl said into the silence that had fallen. "But I was just assaulted by a death squad sent by one of the factions... and no, which one does not matter." The Rhino said quietly. "They used Infested Chargers that they had caught and mind controlled." Several of the Red Veil stiffened at that and one turned to the side where a large window showed a seething mass of flesh. Good thing this was all virtual. "I was not their target. One of my clan was."

"I don't see the problem." The harsh woman snapped. "You are alive."

"You wouldn't." Karl said softly. "So I am simply going to say this... And I will say it to _all_ of the factions, not just you. You can play your power games. Make your alliances, fight your enemies. But _one_ more attack on my kin and I will order them to quit their allegiances with any and _all_ factions." At that, every face that was visible paled. "I do not care who does what to whom or why." Karl said into the sudden stillness. "My kin are all that we have. We support one another. They trust me to keep them out of such entanglements. They have a duty to the Lotus and to humanity. Your diversions are just that. Diversions. The Grineer and Corpus are laughing as you fight each other instead of them."

With that, he turned and left the room. No one tried to stop him. He strode down the hall to where a large triangle was emblazoned on a doorway and nodded to himself.

_Four more to go..._

**Not too close, but not far**

It happened without warning. No one expected such a thing. Not in the middle of a Relay that was swarming with Tenno. It wasn't a smart move. It wasn't even close. But that did not change the fact that it happened.

No one had seen it coming. Perhaps if Violet had been allowed out of her comfortable prison, she might have noticed things that set her on edge. Everyone _else_ was occupied. The Lotus was trying to get Tenno to work together to stop the Balor Fomorians. This was such a low probability that it simply never surfaced to her primary focus. Janet was focused on many things, seeing the past and the future was draining even for one such as the Oracle. None of her visions had seen this. All of Karl's people had taken a step back, stayed away from the Relay with the exception of Quais who left as soon as he talked to Karl. Karl of course was busy explaining the actual facts to a group of businessmen. Good on them, they didn't ask stupid questions or protest their innocence. But he too... was busy.

Jane Talona was on her lunch break when she heard the soft cry. She spun in place and checked her students automatically. Abigail was still ensconced in her textbook. The girl who didn't look like one -they were still trying to get her to accept a full body remodel to make her look her real age- focused so tightly that Jane frankly worried about her at times. Sara was working on a complex problem involving particle fields. But Mishka... Jane stiffened. Where was Mishka? She rose from her kneeling position and the holo that served as her desk vanished as she did. The two boys in the class, Richard and John, were on meal break. The girls usually worked right through those. Jane was worried about that, but it hadn't gone too far. Yet.

"Teacher?" Sara asked, looking up. Abigail paused, looking as well.

"I heard something." Jane said without preamble. "Something off. _Secure_! _Now_! Where is Mishka?"

"She needed the facilities..." Sara said, her voice trailing off. Abigail did not argue. Her whole desk and terminal was suddenly surrounded by golden energy. Sara blanched and her own terminal erupted in a field of light that would protect her from anything up to an including a station wide decompression. She would need rescuing in such a case, but she would survive. "I..."

"Secure com!" Jane snapped and a holo appeared near her face. The other end was dark. "Is anyone watching Mishka? I heard something odd."

"Negative." The reply came immediately. "She went to the... Alert!" The voice was one step removed from shouting. "Her vital signs monitor was just deactivated! Full alert!"

"Mishka!" Sara screamed, but Jane was in motion. Two golden Prime frames simply appeared nearby, both with weapons out as they moved to guard Abigail and Sara.

The small washing facility that served the tiny school was adequate for their needs. Two small rooms, one for the boys, one for the girls. Both had the requisite toilets as well as small shower stalls. Technicians rarely had the luxury of staying clean after all. They often got into messy, smelly things whether they wanted to or not. Jane slammed the door open and stared. The female washroom was empty. She snarled and ran to the boys'. Inside a flare of golden energy fading.

"Track!" Jane screamed as she threw herself forward. Too late. The portal was gone. "They... they took her..." Alarms started to shrill all around as the full weight of what had just happened landed on Jane. Someone had just kidnapped Healer Iriana's biological daughter. "Tell me you have a _track_!" She screamed shrilly.

"We... don't..."

**A Corpus facility**

She was calm. It was imposed. She had been finishing up with her ablutions when a hand had clamped over her mouth. Another had slapped something against her neck and she hadn't been able to move or fight. She had managed a squeak, but nothing more before the... woman who had grabbed her lifted her easily and carried her into the boys' facilities. Inside a golden sphere of energy had flared and Mishka had quailed as she recognized a portal. She was being _kidnapped_!

She hadn't been able to move or fight or anything as she had been carried into the portal. Then she was here. Wherever here was. Before her eyes had recovered, something had covered them. Something else was over her nose and mouth and she was floating. She fought. She was no warrior, but she knew how to fight. She fought the drug that she was being given. As she did, she listened. There was nothing else she could do.

"I could only reach this one." The woman's voice was calm and assured. "There were two girls of the proper age and this one wasn't as well guarded as the Priosa brat. Trying for _her_ has gotten nine operatives caught or killed." Mishka focused through the drug as she was laid on something hard. "This has to be the right girl. The only other female in the class was an adult."

"Scans are... inconclusive." A male voice said quietly. "No chip, but anyone sane would have removed such. Either she is our target or she is not. Her DNA is... clean." He mused and then he sighed. "Not our target."

"Aw crap..." The woman said heavily. "I did what I could. They had so many trackers... so many guards... Getting one was a miracle. Getting all _three_?"

"You know the Board will not care." The male replied. Mishka froze. The Board? The Corpus? "We can use this one, but... You know what they will demand."

"Yeah." The other said just as heavily. "You won't see me again. Getting in once was a _miracle_. More than once?" There was no reply and the woman's voice turned sour. "I know, I know. Profit numbs the feeling. Good_bye_." A door hissed.

"So... Not our target.." The man said with a sigh. "But... usable. Probably. If you were in the same place as those others, then you likely have the same power. Maybe that will save my own ass with the Board-" He paused. "You must have that power. You are fighting the sedative somehow. Good."

Mishka was screaming silently as cold things sliced through her bodysuit. A hum and she felt coldness on her head. Her hair... They were cutting her hair! She had few foibles, but she had always loved her hair! But that wasn't what chilled her. She knew what was coming. What they would do to her. Sara had never pulled any punches when she had discussed what had been done to her. The Corpus would mindscan her, find her weaknesses and exploit them,... Wait... Mindscan! She would... She couldn't... She fought as best she could as cold things clamped her onto the surface she was lying on.

"You are resisting." The male voice was still calm. "It goes much, much easier if you do not resist. It hurts far less to. You will tell us everything and when we are done, you will serve the machine."

_No..._ Mishka begged as cold things clamped around her skull. _I can't! I won't! _Something wet wiped her arm and a stick heralded an IV being put in. She felt her head being moved and then a tube slithered down her throat. Other tubes invaded her and she gasped as pain flared, but then it was gone. Whatever was covering her eyes was removed but she kept them clamped closed. If she opened them... Sara had told her about the lights that made a person dizzy and suggestible.

"Don't be stupid, girl." The man said quietly. "You cannot resist. All you do is-" His words cut off as something went 'thwock'.

Mishka could not move. She could not do anything. All she could do was listen as the beeping around her...stopped. She did not move as... the machinery retracted, eliciting a hiss of discomfort as they retracted far faster than they had entered. Her throat and other parts hurt. Something touched her wrist, checking her vitals. It...felt like a warframe. She opened her eyes and screamed.

Stalker did not react, he simply held out his hand over her. The green anesthetic mist fell and she fell into darkness still screaming.

* * *

><p><em>Idiots...<em>

Stalker thought to himself as he gathered the poor girl up and carried her from the room that was now a charnel house. The woman who had abducted Mishka lay still just inside the door, her head lolling from a mostly severed neck. The other one was in _pieces._

_Even __**I**__ have limits, you Corpus fools... _


	4. Chapter 4

**What?**

On some level, Mishka knew she should be afraid, terrified, when she woke. But she wasn't. She was lying on a bed. A real, honest to goodness bed with sheets and all. She stared around and it was real, no signs of a virtual environment. The last thing she remembered was Stalker holding a hand over her, the anesthetic mist that all warframes could generate putting her to sleep. Her hand flew to her head and she gave a small cry as she felt bare skin.

"Easy." The voice came from nearby and Mishka went still as a female form rose from a chair she hadn't seen to stand near one wall. She... wasn't anyone Mishka knew. She wore an odd garment. It looked ancient, but it was made of modern materials. It was sort of a dress and sort of a smock. It had a blue white over tunic like thing that covered her front and back over the black cloth of her dress. Something about the attire tickled Mishka's memory. Something called a 'habit'? "You are safe, girl. No one knows who you are but me." Mishka was shaking her head as the woman smiled gently at her. "I don't know how you got here. We get...a lot of strays, actually. People dropping hurt kids off. But usually we see something of the people doing it. With you? Nothing."

Mishka jerked again and stared around. The room was... tiny, but comfortable. Someone had put a lot of work into making the room comfortable. A painting of something hung on one wall. Her eyes shied away from it. The odd woman nodded.

"I know you are scared." The old woman said quietly. "I know you have no reason to trust. So don't. It will make a better cover for you, safer for all of us if you are distrustful. You are in an orphanage. You appeared in our doorstep. Things... had been done to you." Mishka stilled and the woman nodded again. "Your suicide tooth was removed." Mishka's eyes went huge, her hand flying to her jaw. She hadn't had the chance to use it when kidnapped, but the woman wasn't done. "And your biofeedback technique was nullified. I am not sure how. But I can guess _why_. I never met your mother, but I do know that all _hell_ is going to break loose if anything at _all_ happens to you. So it _won't_. Not on my watch."

The old woman moved to the bed and sat, her posture nonthreatening. The smile she leveled at Mishka was kind.

"Why?" Mishka begged, her hands still exploring her shaven head.

"Why what, child?" The woman asked, her tone still gentle.

"Why am I here?" Mishka asked, confused. This was... not what she expected.

"For now, this is the safest place we have." The old woman said with a sigh. "I know who you really are. I touched your mind, girl." Mishka went still again and the old woman shook her head. "No... No one else does and no one will find out from me. For now? Your name is Mishka G-52. That is your cover. You answer to 'Mishka' due to some... unpleasantness in your past. Totally believable, and..." She sighed deeply. "True in as far as it goes."

"You are reading my mind!" Mishka slumped. She had... she was... She froze as the woman laid a hand on her arm. It was gentle, that hand. She got the feeling it didn't have to be.

"I did. I didn't have a choice." The old woman said sadly. "For the intrusion, I apologize. But you appeared out of nowhere. You had been drugged. Many of the residues were Corpus in nature. We had to know if you were a plant. You are not. Or... not knowingly one. We will protect ourselves. But for now? You are safe." She repeated, stroking Mishka's arm.

"Where am I?" Mishka begged, not moving.

"Neptune." The old woman said quietly. "This is a Corpus colony." Mishka felt terror rise again, but the old woman just smiled gently again and the fear receded a bit. "No one will look for you _here_. I mean, after all... anyone _dumb_ enough to kidnap you would have to know how the Tenno and _others_ would respond, yes?"

"Unless they didn't know who I was." Mishka said softly. The woman gave her arm a squeeze.

"It is all right, Mishka." The old woman said as the floodgates opened and Mishka started to cry. She curled an arm around the sobbing girl. "It is going to be all right. We will find a way to get you back to your mom."

The Reverend Mother of the Corpus Clergy held the sobbing Tenno child and the old nun's face was set.

"I swear it."

* * *

><p><strong>Larunda Relay<strong>

"I..." Iriana was stumbling through things now. No one blamed her. "I... need to..."

"No." Jasmina stood nearby, her faceplate retracted. "Iriana, you need to _rest_. Everyone is doing what they can. Everyone. Karl and his people blame themselves for being lax. Nikis is upset. I bet Janet is too."

"She is my _kid_, Jasmina!" Iriana said savagely. "My flesh and blood... I... I need to..." Her cry was cut off as a familiar form hurtled into view. Serene did not speak, she just ran to where Iriana stood and hugged the sobbing healer tight. "_Serene..._" Iriana pleaded.

"I know, but... You know better, sister." Serene said softly. "You are not a Warrior. We will find her. Alive or dead, we _will_ find her. Nikis says she isn't in the database. Apparently all of _them_ are in as much shock as _we_ are. _No one_ saw this coming."

"They were not after her." Iriana said softly. "The... cloth... I..."

A small cloth had been found in the female's facilities on the Relay. It had apparently concealed a sedative patch enough to get past the guards of the Relay who had been mortified by what had happened. Of course... Sun was checking them all as well. To their credit, none had even dissembled. The _only_ evidence found was the small piece of cloth. The sedative traces on it were matched to Abigail's DNA. A sedative set for the other girl meant a snatch targeting Abigail. Iriana's daughter had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time. And what was worse? It was a _Corpus_ sedative.

"Iriana..." Serene said, holding the sobbing Healer gently. "I don't know what will happen. But you know that everyone is doing everything they can. You need to rest now."

"I can't... Serene..." Iriana pleaded as Serene led the healer to a sofa in one corner of the office that Iriana called home on the Relay and sat her down. Jasmina fiddled with something and then stepped forward, a steaming cup in her armored hands. "No..." Iriana pleaded as Jasmina held the cup to her lips.

"Drink." Jasmina said sternly. Iriana tried to turn her head away, but Serene held her in place. "Iriana, drink. You _need_ it. She will need you. Sara and Abigail need you. Lis needs you. They _all_ need you. So do I."

"I..." Iriana was heaving as Jasmina carefully poured the drink into her mouth. She swallowed once and then again. She relaxed in Serene's arms. "Don't... Jasmina... Lis, Sara... I..."

"It's okay, Healer." Jasmina said with a small, sad smile. "Rest now." She continued to pour carefully until Iriana slumped, then she retracted the cup. The Healer sighed and slid down, Serene holding her as the sedative worked. Iriana gave a moan and fell asleep, tears still falling. Serene held Iriana and eased her down onto the couch. Jasmina shook her head. "We should move her to a bed. And we should not leave her alone."

"Right." Serene said quietly. She rose, carefully lifting the slumbering Healer in her arms. Jasmina looked at her and Serene snarled softly. "Where?"

"I would help." Jasmina said quietly. "I love her too." Serene paused, then nodded jerkily. The Ember moved to take part of the burden and the two women carried her into another room where a bed had been set up. It... didn't look used. "She has pushes herself too hard." Jasmina said sadly as she and Serene laid the sleeping Healer on the bed. Serene pulled Iriana's boots off and Jasmina rolled a sheet out to cover the Healer.

"Yeah." Serene said just as sadly as she gently raised Irana's head to slide a pillow under it. "Who will...?" She paused as the door opened again and Lisa stepped in. The girl's face was set and Serene nodded. "Right. If you need anything... _Anything_ at _all_. Call me."

"I will." Lisa said quietly as she sat beside the slumbering Healer's bed. "Sara and Abigail need help too."

"I am on it." Serene said with a sigh as she started for the door. Jasmina followed her. "I... Jasmina?"

"Not yet." Jasmina said softly. "Not until after we see to Sara. Abigail... got a partial trace." Serene stiffened and Jasmina nodded. "Not until we see to Sara."

As it turned out, they were not the first to get to Sara. Alicia of Karl's clan was sitting with the girl as Sara worked on something. She did not acknowledge the other two Tenno any more than she as acknowledging Alicia.

"...and it wasn't your fault, Sara." Alicia was saying in a rock hard tone. "So stop blaming yourself. When we find out _who_ and _where_ we _**will**_ hit them like a ton of durasteel ingots. You know this."

"I _know_ they took my _sister_, Tenno Alicia." Sara said in an oddly formal tone. "I am no fighter, so I must do what I can. I just... if it had been me..."

"If it had been _you_, the guards would have killed or captured whoever tried." Alicia said in a no nonsense tone. "The only reason this succeeded was because she didn't want us to make a fuss over her. She refused the guard we offered. That ends now." Her voice was tern. "You, Abigail and the two boys will have minders at all times now. That is non-negotiable."

"Don't I get a say in this?" Sara asked, staring at the Trinity warframe. Alicia had come ready for war, fully armed.

"No." Serene replied for Alicia who nodded to her. "We were lax. We were overconfident and your sister paid for it."

"No one expected such." Sara said, her eyes suddenly glistening. "I mean... Me or Abigail, sure. We were and _are_ targets. Not Mishka. Not..." She gave a squeak as Serene sat beside her. Her parent's hand banished the holo and the other pulled Sara into an embrace. Sara was crying as Serene held her. "This isn't _fair!_" Sara screamed through her sobs.

"No." Jasmina said as Serene rocked the sobbing girl. "It isn't fair, Sara. But they didn't want her dead. We will find her."

"Please..." Sara begged the Caretaker and Jasmina nodded.

"I need to talk to some people, probably keep Nikis from making people wet themselves too." Jasmina said with a sigh. "I swear that old fart does it just to _do_ it."

"You know he does." Alicia said with a nod. No, the nod was to the door. Jasmina's eyes narrowed and then she nodded as well. "Serene?" Alicia asked as she rose.

"I will stay with her." Serene's word left no room for argument. Not that anyone would. Not now.

"Lilly and Sun will be by in a few minutes." Alicia's words were quiet. "Lilly will stay with Sara. Sun wants to see what Sara came up with."

"Not me." Sara sobbed. "Abigail... I... I just..." She broke off as Serene hugged her tighter.

"I know." Alicia stepped towards the door, Jasmina right behind her, but on edge. Only after the door hissed shut did Jasmina speak.

"What?" The Caretaker demanded.

"Abigail did very well for no warning." Alicia sounded calm, but that was rarely a good sign with her. She had made strides in controlling her temper, but she only sounded _this_ calm when she was hanging onto it by her fingernails. "It wasn't a pinpoint trace, but a team was dispatched to the area. They... found some things." Jasmina looked at her and Alicia shook her head, taking a deep breath. "We don't want Serene or Sara to know just yet. But... It was a Corpus Black Ops snatch team."

"Figured that from the sedative residue." Jasmina said with a frown. "And?"

"And they were _slaughtered_." Alicia said quietly. Jasmina froze and Alicia nodded. "From what we found... apparently by Tenno weapons."

"_Any_ Tenno would probably be able to tell who Mishka was by sight. Let alone feel." Jasmina said, unsure. "Even the most jaded of Warriors that I knew likely would not leave a Tenno _child_ in Corpus hands. Even the bitterest ones I have known would hesitate at doing such."

"It wasn't a Tenno." Alicia's voice, impossibly, got quieter. Jasmina stared at her and then paled. "Yes, we found several destroyed MOAs. One had a weapon stuck in it. We got an image." A holo appeared in between the two and Jasmina hissed as she recognized the blade. It was short, meant for throwing. It was also distinctive. Only one being that Jasmina knew of used such weapons regularly.

"_Despair_..." Jasmina breathed. That was the name of the weapon. "_He_ has her?"

"And he wanted us to know." Alicia said quietly. "He did not spoof the cameras. He went in, killed the ones who took her, then he sedated Mishka and left with her."

"Stalker is_**so**_ dead this time..." Jasmina felt hate start to rise in her again. The mass mind pushed back, helping her remain calm as it always did.

"Until we find her..." Alicia said quietly. "We cannot know what he did to her. He has to have done something, had some kind of plan. It was what he did to Jac, to try and trap Aeron."

"That makes no _sense_." Jasmina shook her head. "Iriana is not a warrior and he has to know how everyone will react. Hell, how _Nikis_ and _Sun_ will react!" Now _that_ was pairing anyone _sane_ avoided.

"I agree." Alicia said with a frown. "It has to be a trap of some kind. So... He will probably send word. A meeting or something. If so... We need to ensure her safety."

"Say the word." Jasmina agreed "We will coordinate with you. And then?"

"Then we _**bury**_ his ass." Both female Tenno chorused.

**Elsewhere**

_That... was __**dumb**__._ The female voice was cold and hard.

_I didn't have a choice._ The male voice was dark and cold, but... also sad. _They were going to mindscan her. If they had... You know what they would have found._

_Do you have __**any**__ idea the shitstorm that is about to land on you?_ The female voice was still hard, but worried now. _Nikis, Sun, Karl's people, Jasmina's allies, Avalon... __**Everyone**__ will be after you now. __**Everyone**__. And so you contact me. __**Me?**_

_I couldn't just leave her there. _The male retorted. _I am what I am. But... In the end, I was Tenno. Once. She... is not one of those I seek. She is an innocent in this. Pragmatically, perhaps I should have slit her throat when I found her to save her future pain. Her parents would grieve and move on. Her friends would hunt me. But they do already. And I couldn't just kill her. I am not...that far gone. Yet. She was a little girl who was in trouble. No, I could not just step aside._

_You are making my life hard._ The female voice snapped. _I cannot, __**will**__ not hide this. __**You**__._

_I am not asking you to._ The other replied. _**All**__ I ask is that you contact the Lotus and Reverend Mother, act as a go between. The girl is safe, for now. The Clergy are known for taking in strays. They do not ask many questions when a little girl is found crying on their doorstep. I did what I thought was right._

_This won't help you with Nikis or Sun. _The woman said sharply, but the male voice just laughed. _What?_

_They are scary, yes. No question._ The male replied. _But Serene? __**Serene**__ is the one who __**really**__ scares me. You didn't see what she did at that Corpus facility. I did. She was dying by inches the moment she stepped into the main room and it didn't __**matter**__. As dark as I am? As dark as Nikis and Sun are? She is worse. Far, far worse. The Corpus made a serious mistake, one that will cost them dearly. But I do not want __**Serene**__ hunting me too. Which she would._

_Why? _ The woman demanded.

_You of all people know the answer to that, Oracle._ Stalker replied and then was gone.

"Yeah I do." Janet said into the silence that surrounded her. "If she goes off again... no one and nothing would be safe from the Banshee's wrath." She focused her mind and spoke silently again. _Lotus, I have information._

_As do we. _The Lotus sounded... worried. As well she should.

_Stalker took Mishka from the Corpus._ Janet said with a sigh. _He killed the Black Ops team that snatched her but he no longer has her._

_Oh? _The Lotus sounded wary now. _And you know this... how?_

_He just called me._ Janet had never imagined the sputtering noise that came over the mental link. She hadn't know the Lotus could make such a noise. She found she treasured it. _I need to corroborate it and I will. But he says he dropped her off at the Corpus Clergy Orphanage on Neptune._

_The __**Clergy**__? _The Louts asked, obviously stunned. _In the name of the ancestors... __**why?**_

_I don't know._ Janet admitted. _But I will find out. Better get word to the others. But... getting her out of there... will be difficult._

_You and your gift for understatement. _The Lotus said sourly. _Janet..._ She asked slowly. _What will they do to her?_

_Knowing the Reverend Mother? Spoil her __**rotten**__._


	5. Chapter 5

**Sometimes, strangers can be kind  
><strong>

"I wanna go home."

Mishka huddled on the bed, her arms wrapped around her knees. This was... she was terrified. If _half_ of what she had heard about the Corpus Clergy was true, she was in far graver danger right now than even a Tenno Warrior facing a thousand MOA strong horde of proxies would have been. She cast out with her mind, trying to call the Lotus as her mom and so many of her friends had done. But there was no response. Was she doing it wrong? Was she hurt? Drugged?

The clothes that the old woman had given her fit well. They were... odd. A dress very similar to the one the nun had worn, minus the headpiece. Comfortable shoes and a wig... She shook her head slowly, staring at it. It wasn't her hair color, but it was close. It was also longer than she had ever worn her hair in her life. She had wondered if it contained some kind of drug or mind control apparatus, but it didn't seem to. Nothing but synthetic hair.

There were simple instructions on the inside. Instructions for cleaning it or adhering it to her skull. Why would they give her a wig and leave _instructions_? This made no sense at all. Was she required to wear it? She didn't know. She jumped at least a third of a meter off the bed when a chime sounded.

"What the-?" Mishka stared around wildly, but nothing presented itself. She went still as the door opened and a youngish looking woman in attire very similar to hers stood there, her face worried. It looked... good on her. "Um..."

"You wouldn't know." The woman said softly. "The chime is to ask for admittance. May I come in?"

"Like I can stop you." Mishka said angrily.

"All you have to do is say 'No'." The woman said, not moving. "My name is Mercedes." Mishka went still. She had heard... some. "The Reverend Mother asked me to come by. I am on leave from my duty at the moment. They give me time between sessions."

"'Sessions'?" Mishka asked, incredulous. "_That_ is what they call them?" Being used as a mother for the Corpus... It made Mishka feel faint just thinking about it. Then again, she had seen a lot of... odd stuff... in her various sojourns across the datastreams. Her 'adult' vid collection was extensive.

"No." Mercedes admitted. "But I am trying not to be rude." She smiled, no this was a _grin_. A grin that Mishka felt her own face start to emulate. "You are no innocent, no matter what the Reverend Mother told the others. May I come in?" Mishka stared at her and then shrugged a little. Mercedes sighed. "Mishka... I need your permission. If I try to enter _without_ it, all _kinds_ of alarms go off."

"What?" Mishka demanded, shocked out of her near stupor.

"Many of the kids who come through here have been traumatized." Mercedes said quietly. "All kinds of reasons, all kinds of traumas. Some need sedation. Some need counseling. Some just need a _safe place to sleep_. We provide all that and more. We help them. It is what we are _for_."

"I don't understand." Mishka nearly begged. "You... I guess you can enter."

"I will not hurt you or ask you for anything." Mercedes said as she stepped in and the door shut behind her. "Except... Can I sit on the bed? Chairs are... kind of uncomfortable right now." Mishka stared at the older woman, her jaw falling. Then she nodded jerkily.

"Thank you." Mercedes said with smile as she sat. "The docs won't let me _hurt_..." She gave a long suffering sigh. "But it is _very_ uncomfortable at times. I have a couch in my own apartment set up specifically for me. It is marvelous, but I can't stay in it too long or I will get flabby." Mishka just looked at her. If this woman had a _microgram_ of extra fat anywhere on her body, it was unapparent. She wasn't thin, but she was toned, fit. Very fit. Mercedes grinned again. "Best exercise regime in the Solar System. Guaranteed." Mishka was surprised when she chuckled at that.

"I... like to exercise..." Mishka said quietly.

"That is good." Mercedes said with a nod. "Because every day after the first, all of the kids do exercises. In groups, under supervision." Mishka went still and Mercedes nodded. "Just so you know, _we_ do too. Every day without fail. You are not being singled out. Far from it. If you... cannot be social... for whatever reason... Cannot be part of a group, they will make allowances. There are private rooms where you can work out, or run on treadmills. But you _will_ exercise under supervision. That is mandatory. An old Earth human put it well, 'A sound mind in a sound body'. A healthy body leads to a healthy mind. It helps. A lot. Especially when one has been hurt or abused."

"I... don't understand." Mishka tried to keep the disbelief out of her tone. It was hard. "You are Corpus. Part of the machine, yes?" Mercedes nodded and Mishka continued. "So... why not just command me -and the others- to do it?"

"We could." Mercedes said with a shrug. "But tell me true. If we simply _ordered_ you to exercise and gave you no options at all, how well would you do it? How thoroughly?"

"Not very." Mishka replied automatically. She...tended to get a bit stubborn when people got that way with her. She wasn't as bad as Sara, mind you. _No one_ was.

"Me neither." Mercedes said with another grin. "I am valued both for my duty now and my skills in my chosen field. But the main thing about the Corpus is this... Mishka, how good is a machine whose parts don't work right?" Mishka stared and then nodded. "Doesn't work so well, does it?"

"No." Mishka agreed. "But... The..." She trailed off, unsure of what to say. "What they do... to people..."

"Ah yes. The brainwashing." Mercedes said with a nod. "It's a scary word. And it is what most people know of the Corpus." She made a face. "Now, don't get me wrong. It's unpleasant. Many of us... Those who grew up in the Corpus, need the support of the machine. The Indoctrination. It is what we were bred and raised to do. Serve the machine. Be the machine. Profit..." She broke off and swallowed hard. She shook her head savagely. "Even now after all this time... It is pervasive."

"When will that happen to me?" Mishka asked, her face tight.

"I don't know." Mercedes said quietly. "Ordinarily, a child would go for his or her first indoctrination on his or her eighteenth birthday. But..." She raised a hand as Mishka's face turned frightened. "None of the children here are scheduled. This is a safe place, a place of healing. Of rest. You cannot stay here past your eighteenth birthday, or sooner if you cannot abide by certain rules. Boy/girl kinds of rules, you know?"

"Yeah." Mishka relaxed a bit. "I know."

"We have a lot of rules, Mishka." Mercedes said with a nod. "But most of them are common sense. 'Don't open an airlock without checking to see if it is vacuum on the other side' kind of common sense." She paused. "You do know your birthday, right?" Mishka nodded tightly and Mercedes sighed. "Just checking. Not all of the kids do. Or remember. Or _want_ to remember."

"Oh." Mishka's face fell. "I... Mom was going to get me something. I don't know what..."

"I am sorry, Mishka." Mercedes said quickly. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"It was only a couple of weeks. Sixteen isn't that big of a deal, I know..." Mishka felt her eyes start to burn. "I... I never wanted to make a fuss. I just..."

"Come here, girl." Mercedes said as she pulled Mishka into an embrace. The older woman's tears mixed with the younger ones.

* * *

><p><strong>A Corpus Mining Facility<strong>

He did not say what he wanted to say. 'Have you _all_ taken _leave_ of your _fucking_ minds?' was not a good idea here and now.

Instead, he took a moment before replying. When he did, Commander Horatius of the Corpus Special Forces did not -quite- scream at the holos that faced him. "You want us to _what?_"

"You will recover company property from the ones who stole it." One of the holos said firmly. "No more, no less."

"You want Special Forces to snatch Sara Priosa and Amelia Priosa from the people they took refuge with." Horatius corrected the Board member quietly. "Honored Board... the portal doesn't work. Every attempt to activate it does nothing."

"And _how_ do you know that?" Frohd Bek's voice was angry. Horatius shrugged.

"We want to be ready for any... unpleasantness." Horatius said calmly. "Far be it from us to stop you from being stupid. We can't. We _can_ work to clean up your messes. It is what we _do_. We like to be prepared, know what _kind_ of mess you all will be dropping on us. And yes, opening a portal to an insane Orokin tower _is_ a mess, Board Member Frohd Bek."

"Commander." The current de facto chairman said sternly. "You were given an order. Carry it out."

"Honored Board..." Horatius said quietly. "That is not possible."

"You keep saying that nothing is impossible." The Chairman replied, his face stern. "Have you been misleading us?"

"How many Black Ops teams have you lost?" Horatius wasn't asking the Chairman, he was talking to Bek, who shook his head. "Let me put it this way. If there comes a time when it would be uneconomical to continue a certain course of action, do you continue it despite the fact that it is _costing_ you more than you can gain?"

"That is not relevant here!" Bek snapped, but paused as two of the other Board members looked at him. "You were given a task. Are you saying you will not carry it out?" Barely suppressed glee sang in his words now. He so wanted to have an excuse to 'downsize' the Special Forces.

"If you want us to throw each and every one of our lives away trying, then fine." Horatius said with a shrug. "Assassinating the girl or her mother might be possible. Probably not, but possible. Snatching them alive? It cannot be **done**. But that does not matter if you get your revenge on Special Forces and the Clergy for trying to keep you from destroying the Company. If I refuse an impossible task, you screw us. If I try, we all die." He shook his head. "I serve the Company, Frohd Bek. Not you alone."

"You refuse to serve!" The man was almost frothing at the mouth now. "The Council made a decision! You will obey our orders!"

"The Council made a _stupid_ decision." Horatius said with a glare. "One _you_ goaded them into. Fine. Enjoy your revenge. And when the Company's profits crumble under the Grineer onslaught... feel free _not_ to blame us. Because we were just trying to help the Company. Not you."

_"I am the Company!"_ Bek screamed, but Horatius had cut him off.

The Special Forces commander slumped a bit as everyone in the command center stared at him. The Grineer had withdrawn, for the moment. Their offensive would continue when they got reinforcements, but for now, the Corpus forces had a breather. So the Board had decided to... make life interesting again.

"Commander Horatius?" He had never heard Executive Vina sound quite so subdued. "I..." She stood nearby, her presence a comfort. He had never thought to say that, but she was competent and knew when to listen. Not all executives could have that said about them.

"We knew this was coming, Executive Vina." Horatius said with a sigh. "We can run... But... what about _you_? I don't want to leave you. Without us here..." No one would meet his eyes. They all knew that the _only_ reason the Grineer assaults had not taken the facility had been because of the Special Forces teams. Several had died protecting the secured portions of the mining platform.

"You won't." Vina said sternly. "Com, open channel Epsilon Three." Something in her voice... worried Horatius.

"Executive..." Horatius said with a wince as the holos of the Board appeared. Bek was shouting something, but a sharp gesture from Vina muted his voice feed.

"I serve the Board." Vina said quietly and all of the holos stared at her. "I serve loyally and to the best of my ability. Is this what we have become? Puppets for _one_ power mad fool?" Horatius went still, she wasn't going to... "Board Member Frohd Bek's vendetta against the Special Forces and the Clergy has cost us _enough_, Honored Board. How much _more_ will we pay for his madness and stupidity?"

"Vina..." Horatius breathed. "Don't..."

"I call for a General Investor Review." Vina said quietly. At that, everything seemed to stop. All eyes were on her. Even Bek had stopped ranting and his mouth had fallen open. "This... personal quest for _vengeance_ hurts every facet of the company." She bowed her head. "Until the review is done... no revenue will come from this facility. None of my workers will produce for the Company. I can only assume it will not be used _for_ the Company."

"_Vina!_" Horatius protested. She was calling a _strike_?

"You pushed for this, Board Member Bek." Vina said sternly. "_Fine_. I call for a General Investor Review and this facility will not contribute to the Company until it is done. Do I hear a second for the Review?"

"Seconded." The voice was small, but clear.

Horatius went still as the main board lit up. Dozens, _hundreds_ of icons showing up on the Corpus Neptune grid. Many, many small - and not so small- facilities acknowledging the call for a review of the Company at a fundamental level. Horatius was shaking his head as more and more of the Corpus responded to Vina's call. As an Executive, she had the _right_ to do so. But there was a _reason_ no Executive dared to do this...

"Your call is heard." The Board Chairman said quietly. "And seconded. You know the cost for the other."

"I do." Vina said firmly. "But if I do _nothing_, the Company will _fail_. My loyalty is to the Company, Honored Chairman. _Downsizing_ or _throwing away_ some of our most powerful weapons in the name of personal _vengeance_ is what the _Grineer_ do. I am _not_ Grineer. _We_ are not Grineer!" She said with a snarl worthy of one. "All I ask is that you listen to the Review. Whatever it says. Please." She begged. "We are a Company! We are _loyal_ to the Company. Even when it is not loyal to _us_." The Chairman nodded silently. Bek's mouth was working as if her were speaking, but he was still muted.

Horatius was in motion as the guards by the door started to draw their weapons. They froze, their weapons halfway up as his Burston covered them.

"You move, you _die_." Horatius promised. "We _need_ you, Vina."

"This has been coming for some time. I knew the cost, Commander Horatius." Vina said quietly as she took a step and, greatly daring, slowly reached out and pushed the muzzle of his rifle down. "There is only _one_ penalty for calling a strike under Company Guidelines."

"No..." Horatius did not, could not move as Vina stepped to the guards and held out her hands for binders.

"Horatius." Vina said as one of the guard slowly took his hand from his pistol and clamped restraints on the Executive. "Tell Mercedes I love her."

"Vina..." Horatius was shaking as both guards moved to flank her. "I..."

"Be good." Vina said with a smile as the guard led her out of the room. It would not be a long trip. Only to the closest _airlock_. Calling for a strike was a death sentence.

Horatius stared at the door as it closed behind Vina. Only then did he turn to the screen and snarl. "Are you happy _now_, Frohd Bek? _How much more will you cost us?_" He screamed. He made a throat cutting gesture and the com tech cut the channel.

"Sir...?" One of the techs spoke softly. Horatius didn't move. He didn't dare to move. "_Sir_!" Horatius' face jerked up at the conflicting emotions in the tech's voice. A screen lit up. It showed an airlock. Inside Vina lay on the floor. But she wasn't _alone_!

Horatius was hardly the only person to exclaim as the male form held a hand over Vina and the executive vanished in a haze of orange energy. Then the Nekros warframe held up a hand with the middle finger up at the camera as the hatch opened and...he stepped out into a Tenno shaped hole on the side of a tiny _spacecraft_. He knew that Tenno! Nikis had taken _Vina_!

"Ah... _Sir_...?" The tech swallowed hard.

"Get Cass up here. Now." Horatius said, his eyes still on the now empty airlock. "We have some visuals to fake. That... did _not_ happen!"

* * *

><p><strong>Elsewhere<strong>

"Ow...?" Vina managed to groan as she regained consciousness. "That... really hurt..." She said weakly. Slim hands, several sets, helped her lie more comfortably then vanished.

"I know. I am sorry." Vina did not know the voice. "It should fade quickly. If not, I have med techs who can help."

She hadn't really thought about what to do, just that the Company had to survive, even if she could not. She had few regrets and none about her course of action. It had been needed. Vina cracked her eyes and was amazed to find herself lying on a low couch. It was comfortable.

"Am I a prisoner now?" Vina asked. "The note didn't say." She hadn't know what to think about the note that had simply appeared on her desk saying that she could do whatever she felt was right. That she was needed and would be protected.

"No, dear Vina." The voice came from nearby and Vina's eyes went huge as she saw the speaker. The woman was lying on another couch and she was covered by a white robe. But it did not hide the burn dressings. "We need you, if you will aid us."

"Do I have a _choice_?" Vina asked. "I mean... to the Company, I am dead. _Was_ dead the moment I called for a strike."

"Your company has made some _serious_ mistakes recently, Executive." The hurt woman on the couch said with sigh. "And we need your help to fix them in a way that will not be disastrous for everyone in the solar system. My name would cause problems, so I should not give it to you."

"But you may call me Oracle."


	6. Chapter 6

**Common conundrums of the Company classification**

Mishka was... enjoying herself. She had always been an athletic person. No one had pressed her at all, despite some sidelong looks, none of the other kids seemed interested in her. Well, except for a couple of the older boys. And frankly? She looked just as much as they did.

The workout clothing that had simply appeared in her room while Mercedes had taken her to a meal was comfortable and durable. It covered her from neck to toes and the shoes that she had been given were as good for running as they were for walking. It wasn't revealing in any way, but it also hugged the body in certain places that any adolescent would find eye catching.

Mishka had no trouble keeping up with the exercises. The warm ups and run were very similar to what she normally did. A few of the other kids were not so lucky. One red haired girl in particular was gasping for breath after the first few minutes of the run around the measured track that lined a set of playing fields. To Mishka's utter amazement, two of the other girls moved to support the flagging one. When one fell back, partially spent, Mishka moved to take her place. When the gasping girl started to slow, Mishka pulled some of her weight on herself. It was... uncomfortable, but it was within her tolerances.

"You...are... the new girl..." The red haired girl gasped.

"Save your breath." Mishka said quietly as she ran. "You need it. Halfway there."

"Never... never make it to the end..." The red haired girl was crying now. "Too weak. Too slow. Too..."

"This is not about _you_." The girl on the other side said with a snap. "Who _else_ can we rely on if not each other?" Mishka nodded to the other girl. "You will make it today, Janna H-15! You _will_ make it to the end!"

"It _hurts_, Mary E-54!" Janna H-15 protested. "They didn't heal it! You know it! _I_ know it." Mishka stared from her to the other girl, whose face was sad. Mishka made snap decision.

"Keep going." Mishka said quietly to Janna. "As long as you can. You _will_ make it today." The one called Mary E-54 stared at Mishka and then a smile lit her face. Mishka held out her hands to Mary E-54 and the other girl linked her wrists with Mishka's. Janna H-15 gave a squeak as the two stronger girls lifted Janna almost all the way off the ground. Both picked up the pace as Janna jerked in their hands.

"This is... no..." Janna H-15 started to struggle. "I have to..."

"Stop squirming! Last I checked, this was a _team_ effort." Mishka said quietly. "Was I wrong?"

"No." Mary E-54 replied with a grin. "She was sick. For a long time." She said by way of explanation.

"A team is supposed to support one another." Mishka said, her energy starting to flag. "That way, anyone's weaknesses... are covered by other people's strengths. Doesn't... always work that way. But... it..." She staggered once and then again. She kept going.

"I have her." A male voice sounded from beside Mishka. Two more arms slid under Janna H-15 and Mishka stepped aside. "_We_ have her."

"She can't _physically_ do it." Mary E-54 had been relieved as well and the males supporting Janna were moving off as Mishka and Janna slowed to recover. "They cannot seem to fix it. She was ill for so long." She shook her head. "She tries. Every day. But she just can't do it."

"Then she doesn't _want_ it enough." Mishka said quietly. Mary E-54 stared at her and Mishka shrugged. "My mom was... a doc. She always said that the only limits are what we place on ourselves. Janna H-15 has legs, she just needs the motivation."

"I never knew my mom." Mary said without hint of a frown. "I am Mary E-54." She said by way of belated introduction as they ran.

"Mishka." The Tenno youngster said with a nod. "Came yesterday."

"So we have heard." Mary E-54 said with a smirk. "Startled the heck out of the staff when you just appeared. And _not_ on the portal platform."

"Not a portal?" Mishka asked, confused. "I..." She shook her head. "I don't know what happened. And... no one has said what I am supposed to do after the run."

"Most of us have classes." Mary E-54 said with a nod. "They want us to learn as much as we can. A well educated workforce is a productive workforce." That phrase sounded rote.

"Class?" Mishka asked, confused. "No one has said anything to me."

"You will probably talk to one of the counselors." Mary E-54 offered. "I did my second day. But I don't think they will find anything wrong." She smiled ahead and Mishka looked to see Janna H-15 standing at the end line for the run, looking flabbergasted. The boys who had mostly carried her there were walking, cooling off."You have teamwork down pat."

"Maybe." Mishka said with a shrug. "Always room for improvement."

"Oh..." Mary E-54 had a wonderful fake groan. Mishka found herself smiling as the two girls neared the end of the run. They had been near the back of the pack. "You are one of _them_, aren't you? Perfectionist!"

"Practice makes perfect." Mishka made sure to sound as prim as possible and Mary E-54 laughed.

"I think I like you." Mary E-54 said with a smile as they crossed the finish line and slowed to a walk, letting their bodies come down from the rush of running. Without comment, both moved to walk near where Janna H-15 stood, her eyes wide. "You crossed the finish line, Janna H-15." Mary E-54 said quietly as she finally stopped, Mishka at her side.

"I..." The other girl was near tears. "I... I didn't... It..." She stammered.

"Did you stop running?" Mishka pressed her. More than one of the children around them were listening. Janna H-15 shook her head. "Then you didn't fail, did you?"

"But I didn't do it myself..." Janna H-15 said weakly.

"That doesn't matter. You are part of our team." One of the boys who had taken over from Mishka said with a nod to Mishka and a smile. "Each of us has strengths and weaknesses. I can't do the same level of math you can. You can't run as fast as I can. Your heart and lungs can't do it. But we help each other. It is what we are supposed to do."

"Indeed." A voice that Mishka remembered had all of the kids spinning in place. The Reverend Mother stood there, her face solemn, but her eyes were twinkling. "Janna H-15... You made it to the end."

"I... did." Janna H-15 said softly. Then she stepped to Mishka and to the young Tenno's surprise, threw her arms around Mishka and gave her a hug. "Thank you."

"You are welcome." Mishka said, slowly returning the embrace. Then Janna H-15 retreated a pace and all eyes turned to the Reverend Mother who smiled.

"Okay, everyone. Most of you have class." The kids nodded to the Reverend Mother's words. "Mishka? Stay please." Mishka did not move as the group of kids broke up, some talking as they moved towards a building that Mishka hadn't been in yet. "Well done, Mishka." Mishka looked at the old woman and the Reverend Mother smiled. "Janna H-15 has been somewhat stubborn about recovering. She got used to being sedentary. She was comfortable with being ill. She needs to get better, but..." She paused as Mishka inhaled sharply.

"She didn't think she could." Mishka's words were not a question, but the old nun nodded anyway. "You need me, Reverend Mother?" She paused. "That is the correct form of address, yes?"

"It is." The nun reassured her. "I need two things. One of which will frighten you a great deal." Mishka went still and the Reverend Mother sighed. "Things have...come to a head. Sooner than anticipated. We are going to have inspectors through here in the next couple of days. We cannot have them finding a mystery, poking into your past. They will find out things we _cannot_ let them. We _cannot_ place you in danger. Your mother's sister would not take kindly to it." Mishka froze and the old nun nodded. "Yes, I know who she is. _What_ she is. She made _hell_ of a mess the _last_ time she lost a daughter. Totally understandable, but a _hell_ of a mess." Mishka suddenly realized something, The Reverend Mother wasn't talking to her as a kid. She was speaking to an adult!

"What...?" Mishka paused and swallowed, then continued. "What do you need?"

"When you were found, we did a number of scans." The old woman held out a hand that Mishka took. Her own was only trembling a little. "But there are thing that you lack. That any competent investigator will see and wonder about. You are not Corpus. You never were. The augmentation we can fake a reason for you not to have it. Say you were allergic to common meds. It happens, if not often these days."

"And?" Mishka was calm. Somehow. Was the nun doing something?

"I am not calming you." The Reverend Mother reassured her. "I can feel your worry. Your fear. Nothing more. I won't." She promised. "I _too_ have rules by which I live. Invading someone's mind without a good reason is a no-no." She smiled, no... it was a _grin_! "Not the least of which is what would happen if your family found out."

"Good point." Mishka said with a gulp. "So... What?"

"In order to fake an allergy to augmentation meds, we need to do a full series of scans." The old woman said quietly. Mishka tensed but did not move. "There are reasons. Not the least of which to keep from missing a _real_ allergy. That would hurt or kill you if we screw it up. Such a set of scans is not pleasant, child. The scans...are very similar to what are done in Indoctrination. The same kind of environment."

"A... a tank?" Mishka asked, her voice taut.

"Yes." The Reverend Mother agreed. "Sensory deprivation. It has to be done that way."

"I..." Mishka paused and then nodded. "Yes. Asleep, the brain's activity slows. Less to throw off the scans. But..." She shook her head. She would not be able to stop anything done to her.

"But if you go in, you do not know _how_ you will come out." The Reverend Mother said quietly. "I know. We can swear oaths, promise whatever, but in the end, _none_ of that matters. If you do not trust, then you _will_ not trust. Which comes to the second point. I need your help."

"Mine?" Mishka was confused. "What can I do?"

"I need you to talk to Mercedes." The old woman said heavily. "Something bad just happened and she is... distraught. It is not as bad as she _thinks_, but I can't tell her that without jeopardizing a lot of lives."

"Mercedes?" Mishka wondered why she was still so calm. Was it her training? Was it the fact that she couldn't do anything to protect herself? Was it the fact that the old woman holding her hand could have made her do something and didn't? She didn't know. "What happened?"

"Mercedes' life partner is an Executive named Vina." The Reverend Mother said heavily. "She is the reason we are going to be reviewed soon, but to do that... To get a review in motion, she... called a strike."

"A _strike_?" Mishka went still. "As in a _workflow stoppage_?" She demanded, trying to keep her voice down. In a society run as a company, such a thing was unthinkable.

"Yeah." The Reverend Mother nodded. "That is it exactly." She sighed. "She had cause. The Board... messed up. Messed up bad. Bek's stupidity has to be stopped, but... That...?" She shook her head. "I wasn't expecting her to do that. Come on." She started off, Mishka following in a daze.

They walked through a set of doors that Mishka had noted. Beyond, the decor was the same, but... more adult oriented. The displays on the walls were propaganda instead of pictures. The logos and decorations were utilitarian as opposed to the orphanage's that were meant to be soothing to kids. There were open areas and Mishka saw several women standing and talking, some in attire that could only be called skimpy. Others were sitting or lounging in chairs. All looked... nervous. Some nodded to the Reverend Mother and cast curious eyes at Mishka, but none spoke.

"Everyone has heard by now." The Reverend Mother said quietly as she led Mishka towards a tall building. "Most just the gossip, and that is bad enough. But the truth is going to ignite a firestorm. Vina was a good employee. One of our best. She was loyal and very skilled. This..." She shook her head as the door ahead of them opened and she led Mishka to an elevator. "This is going to be bad. I remember the _last_ General Investor Review. It was two hundred years ago and we are _still_ feeling some of the effects _today_."

"What can _I_ do?" Mishka asked. "I mean... you need to scan me..."

"Not yet." The old woman holding her hand said gently. "Talk to Mercedes. I will be here. You will not be alone. She is not... violent. That is not her way."

The elevator hissed open and Mishka could hear a voice. A girl. Pleading.

"Mercedes! _Talk_ to me!" The girl said sharply. "Please talk to me! I know... this is bad. I know you are hurting. I can help! _Please_, Mercedes!"

Mishka was quailing inside as the Reverend Mother led her into a room that was not much larger than the room she had woken in at the orphanage. Or.. the main room was. But it seemed far smaller as crowded as it was. A small food preparation area sat against one wall and a door that was slightly ajar led to the facilities. Mercedes lay on a couch, a large violet hulled MOA... Mishka froze as the MOA turned to look at them and then it spoke.

"Reverend Mother!" The girl's voice was _terrified_.

"Sheila, it's okay." The old woman said sadly. "Is she...?"

"She hasn't moved." The MOA -Sheila- said with a gulp. "Not since you left. I swear she hasn't _blinked_!"

Mishka stared at Mercedes. The woman who had been so kind to her looked like a porcelain doll on the couch she lay on. She was so still. Indeed, her eyes were open and she was staring off into space. Mishka stiffened and then nodded slowly.

"Mishka?" The Reverend Mother asked, her hand still on the girl's.

"I _think_ I can help her." Mishka said quietly. "But... I don't know... You are recording..."

"Not right now." The Reverend Mother said sternly. "Sheila, my authority. Activate countermeasures."

"They will _know_." The MOA said with concern.

"They are going to find out a lot." The Reverend Mother said sternly. "But right now, _Mishka_ is the important one. You _will_ protect _her_. Clear?"

"Clear." The MOA said with another gulp. "I... My name is Sheila, Mishka."

"I know." Mishka said as she took a step towards the couch. Shelia made noise of confusion and Mishka nodded. "Later. Please. But your sister would want me to say 'Hi'."

"My... _what_?" Sheila asked, stunned. "Oh..._dear_..."

"Yeah." The Reverend Mother said with a hint of humor from where she stood. "Mishka? Do you need anything?"

"I don't know." Mishka admitted. "This... isn't anything I was trained for. She is there. But... not." She shook her head. "I will try to help. I may not be able to."

"Do what you can." The Reverend Mother said quietly. "We will... deal with anything that happens." Mishka nodded and stepped to the couch, the MOA making way for her.

The girl sat on the edge of the couch, hyperaware of how Mercedes lay. The woman was still as if... as if she wasn't really there. Mishka's eyes narrowed as she laid a slow hand on Mercedes' arm.

"Mercedes?" Mishkla asked in a quiet voice. "I know you are there. You can hear me. But you can't respond. You have had a bad shock. I am going to try and help you. I do not know if I can. I am not my mom. But you were nice to me when you didn't have to be. The least I can do is try to help you. I..."

Whatever else Mishka was going to say was cut off as she was yanked from her body. She was swirling around, tossed by currents of power. Faintly, she could hear a crying voice screaming a name. Mercedes, screaming the name 'Vina'.

_Mercedes!_ Mishka yelled as loudly as she could, but... whatever this was, she was fading. It was... she was... She grabbed hold of...something. She couldn't define it. But the sobs and screams were suddenly deafening. _Mercedes... please!_

Then she was not alone.

_Like mother, like daughter._ The calm female voice was familiar. _You simply __**cannot**__ pass by someone in pain, __**can**__ you girl?_ The voice was mix of chiding and proud.

_Janet! _Mishka pleaded. She was... it was...fading. _I... I can't..._

_I know. _The Oracle's presence was suddenly all around her and the fading stopped. _It's okay. You are okay. It's going to be scary, Mishka. But Mercedes will help. She won't remember this. She will remember grey and your voice calling to her. But __**you**__ need to remember. Vina is alive. Keep Mercedes going, Mishka. She needs you. Vina needs __**her**__. Be careful who you trust. The Reverend Mother plays her own game, but she is wary now. No one __**sane**__ wants Iriana angry with them. She has a __**lot**__ of scary friends._

_I... know. _Mishka was falling now. Or floating. It felt...she was...

"_Mishka_?" Mercedes' voice was stunned as arms came up to pull the girl's unresisting form close to warmth. "Mishka! Girl, you are _freezing_! What _happened_?"

"I... I don't know..." Mishka said as darkness folded her into comforting arms and held her as sleep came.


	7. Chapter 7

**Changes of plan**

"_Mishka_?" Mercedes's voice held terror as she held the still girl in her hands. "She is cold! Too cold!" She hugged the still form tight. The MOA stepped close, a med scanner whirring.

"She is... on the edge of hypothermia." Sheila said uneasily. "What... what _was_ that? I didn't... scan anything but..." She sounded both awed and scared.

"You do not want to know, Sheila." The Reverend Mother said quietly as she spread a blanket over Mercedes and Mishka. "Hold her, Mercedes. Warm her. You can."

"She needs a medic!" Mercedes did not move, just cradled the still form to her chest. The Reverend Mother held the blanket around her and she glared at the older woman. "She needs a _medic_!" The reclining woman repeated fiercely.

"The medics won't know what to do." The old nun said quietly. "They will scan, and they won't find anything. If they _don't_, then they will look deeper until they figure out who and _what_ she is. If _that_ happens..." She bowed her head. "We _can't_ let that happen. Mercedes, she is okay. Just exhausted and cold from what she did." She brushed the sleeping girl's cheek gently. "She is sleeping. No more."

"I heard her calling to me." Mercedes said with a frown as she held Mishka gently. "She was calling to me... but I didn't see her. It was all grey. I... You told me about Vina, but... I don't believe it. She isn't dead. She _can't_ be."

"Mercedes, we don't _know_." The Reverend Mother said quietly. "And even if I did... I probably wouldn't be able to say. You know the Guidelines as well as any. She called for a strike at her facility. There is only one punishment."

"She had to have been pushed..." Mercedes said with a swallow. "I... I should have been there."

"You probably could not have changed anything." The old nun said gently. "I commed Horatius as soon as I heard. I should hear something back soon. Until then... I need you, Mercedes. I need you functional." She nodded to the slumbering girl. "_She_ needs you. She is alone here. Lost and trapped. If the Board find out who and _what_ she is, they _will_ tear her apart, dissect her. Because they _can. _They will _kill_ her in the name of figuring out what she is and why she exists. And if _that_ happens... _hell_ itself will rain down on us. On the whole _Company_." Mercedes went still and the Reverend Mother nodded. "Yes."

"Reverend Mother..." Sheila said uneasily. "She is a _kid!_ She _cannot_ be..." She gave a gulp. "...a Tenno."

"Hold that thought." The Reverend Mother said to both of them. "I am not entirely sure _what_ she is except for a lost soul who appeared and is now in our care. We will be reviewed. _All_ of us. I will protect her as best I can. But I can't be everywhere."

"No." Mercedes said with a nod. "You can't. But... if she is... different... then will it show up on scans?" The Reverend Mother shook her head. "Then..." She paused and then unaccountably, she smiled. It was forlorn, that smile, but clear. "Vina wanted a little girl. I..."

"Mercedes..." Sheila said weakly. "If she _is_..."

"She probably has family, yes?" Mercedes asked the Reverend Mother who nodded. "Then I stand for them. An aunt maybe." She paused. "Can we work that into the cover?"

"We can." The Reverend Mother said with a wince. "Mercedes...are you _sure_? There is no _way_ she can stay here long term. And even when we can get her out..." She made certain to say 'when' not 'if', "... back to her home... She won't ever be able to come back. Security will have full scans of her, any disguise will be seen through in seconds."

"I know." Mercedes said with a sigh, but her face was tender as she cradled the sleeping girl. "But I won't leave her to face this alone. Sheila, can you set up a second bed? I want her close until we are sure she is okay."

"I can." The MOA said quietly. "She is deeply asleep. Her vitals are strong, but... low. That _should_ be a contradiction, but it isn't. Her temperature is coming up." The MOA made a noise between a sigh and a groan. "I am only an apprentice med-tech, Reverend Mother..."

"Because the powers that be don't like the idea of a _MOA_ that can heal better than many medics." The old nun said with a shrug. "You passed every _single_ test, Sheila." She shook her head. "We will need her scanned though."

"That will frighten her." Mercedes said with a frown. "It frightened _me_ and I knew what going to happen and why."

"I know." The Reverend Mother said quietly. "Sheila? Thoughts?"

"She is asleep." Sheila said after a moment. "When she wakes... She will be... distressed. We should do it before she wakes." Mercedes went still as a device extruded from the MOA to hover close to Mishka's face. "Mercedes... You know I am right."

"Will it hurt her?" Mercedes asked, eyeing the device as it expanded into a mask.

"No." Sheila promised. "I have the scans that the orphanage did. I can sedate her without fear of complications. But I cannot _run_ the scanners. I do not have the experience to do it safely."

"Zacharias does and he can." The Reverend Mother said with a nod. "He is chafing to get out of the house anyway." She grinned as Mercedes chuckled. "He is fully mobile now and frankly? He is bored."

"We don't want that." Mercedes said with a smile that faded. "When?" She asked as she took the mask and held it over Mishka's nose and mouth. The girl gave a sigh and relaxed fully as the anesthesia took hold.

"Can you walk?" The Reverend Mother asked. Mercedes frowned and rose, holding the girl gently. "Oh, no... She is too big. You are not going to be able to _carry_ her to the med bay."

"You _would_ strain something." Sheila said quietly. "I have called for a gurney. Jesselle is bringing one."

"You are too efficient for your own good." Mercedes complained with a laugh. "I feel... off. But whole. Whatever she did, I am not lost anymore. I need to know what happened, Reverend Mother. But for now?" She smiled as she held Mishka's still form. "This one needs my help and I will give it." The door chimed and Mercedes spoke up. "Come in, Jesselle."

"What happened?" The young woman in nurses' garb asked as she wheeled a small gurney into the room. She paused on seeing the tableau. "And who is this?"

"This is my niece Mishka." Mercedes said quietly. "We need to get her to Medical. She was stressed and I think she may have had a seizure." The Reverend Mother gave a tiny nod that Jesselle did not see.

"Oh dear. Sheila?" The nurse asked as she moved to stand beside Mercedes, her hand on her scanner.

"What are you asking _me_ for?" The MOA demanded petulantly. "_You_ are the med tech."

"_I_ don't have built in scanners." Jesselle said with a smirk as she ran a quick vitals check. "_And_ I didn't pass the test with a 99%. I don't _care_ what the powers that be say, you are better than I am. " She pressed. "You only missed _one_ question. So...?" She pressed when Sheila did not respond.

"That question didn't _have_ an answer!" Sheila commented, but then focused. "Patient is stable. Fifteen year old female. I sedated her with three hundred micrograms of..."

Mercedes tuned out the medical techno-speak as she moved towards the gurney when Jesselle motioned for her to. She would not let Mishka come to harm.

She would not.

**Titan**

"I..." The woman once known as Janet and now as Oracle swallowed hard as her latest vision released her. Seeing her daughter fully trained as a medic was a hard thing. Knowing that her daughter could never see her, touch her again was worse. It hurt. Oh my _god_, it _hurt_. She was not looking forward to seeing her husband and son as well in visions, but she had to keep monitoring Mishka. She had to. If anything went wrong... They had to be ready.

"Oracle?" She turned to see Vina standing nearby. The woman looked decidedly uncomfortable in the white robes that had been given to her. "Is there something wrong?" The Executive sounded worried.

"There was, but it is fixed."The Oracle reassured the Executive. "Mercedes... did not handle the news about you well." Vina went pale. "They have helped her and will continue to. As it turned out, the focus that I had in that area helped her a lot."

"Oh?" Vina asked, her eyes shying away from the Oracle. Many people found the myriad burn dressings that Janet would wear for a long, long time to be... distressing. She had been hurt very badly and even with the best medical science available, it would take time to heal. Years.

"Yeah." Janet waved her sole mobile appendage, her hand, at the other couch and Vina sat carefully. Some of Janet's attendants were about, but it seemed as if the two women were alone. "I need to get you briefed in on this... situation."

"You saved my life." Vina said with a gulp. "How may I assist you? I mean... I can't go back. I am supposed to be dead."

"So am I." Janet replied with a smile that Vina shared after a moment. "We will figure _something_ out. No idea _what_ just yet, but something. You are not a prisoner."

"Thank you." Vina's thanks were heartfelt. "So... that briefing?"

"You know about Bek ordering the Special Forces to snatch Sara Priosa so he can... figure out what went wrong with his experiment, yes?" Janet asked quietly. Vina nodded. "What you do not know. What _no one_ knows... is that the last attempt to kidnap Sara Priosa nearly succeeded."

"Oh my god..." Vina's hand shot to her mouth. "The girl? I read...some..."

"Sara's DNA is unique." Janet said quietly. "For good or ill, Bek's experiments have not been able to replicate it. The few samples that were taken from her have been destroyed. By many people. In the Vompany and outside of it." Vina was shaking her head and Janet nodded. "He can no longer access the Orokin Tower that he was working so hard to enter. The reasons are complicated, but he can't."

"Thank god for that!" Vina said sharply. "That whole thing was a mess. But..." She paused. "Why try for the girl then? If he can't access it?"

"He cannot access it... for a number of reasons. He doesn't know _why_." Janet said with a sigh. "I don't know all of the reasons myself. But suffice it to say... He can't access it. So... he is looking for anything he can salvage from the mess." Vina stared at her and then hissed. "Yes, he is restarting the C&C MOA program."

"Is he _insane?_" Vina snapped. "The whole reason that the project _failed_ was that the girls' mother took offense. Now he wants to do it _again?_" She shook her head. "What am I _saying_? _He_ won't care."

"Oh yes, he _will_." Janet said savagely. "Your Review will pull all kinds and sorts of dark secrets up into the light. No the least of which was that his attempt to snatch Sara Priosa failed, but... Only because they snatched another girl instead." Vina went still and Janet nodded. "They had no idea who they took, just that she was the right age and she was easier to get to. The problem..." She slumped a bit. "I know you are trustworthy and I am about to trust you with a secret so wonderful and terrible that it cannot get out. _Ever_."

"If... If someone does a mindscan..." Vina said slowly.

"Before you leave here, you will be implanted with anti-interrogation protocol." Janet's words were quiet, but Vina went still. "There is too much at stake now, Vina. But you need to know. We _need_ you to know."

"Know _what_?" Vina asked, her voice subdued.

"Just under seventeen years ago..." Janet said softly. "A man and a woman fell in love. They did what people _do_ in love. They used protection. But it failed." Vina's eyes went wide and Janet nodded. "The... man decided he didn't want anything to do with a child." Vina's face turned thunderous and Janet nodded. "The woman agreed at first, but when she delivered the child, she changed her mind."

"She bore the child... naturally?" Vina's face was a mix of tender and awe now. "I... I don't know if I could have given a child up either. And now... Well... I can't bear."

"She did." Janet said with a smile of fondness mixed with regret. "She raised her child alone. She had some help from the others in her colony. But being a single mother is _never_ easy."

"No." Vina agreed softly. "And that child is the one who was snatched."

"Yes." Janet said simply.

"By the Corpus." Vina continued the logical train of thought. "By _Bek._"

"Yes." Janet repeated.

"So... _why_...Would everyone be up in arms about a girl who... isn't...?" Vina froze as the dots connected. "No..." She paled. "No, no, no... You are _**not**_ _saying_...?"

"The mother's name is Iriana." Janet said softly. "She is a Healer. A _Tenno_ Healer."

"That is not _possible_!" Vina nearly exploded from the couch. "Tenno are _weapons_! Living _weapons_! _Relics_! They..." She broke off as Janet waved at her. "I..."

"Sit." Janet's word was a command. Vina sat. "The Tenno that you think of when you think the word are _Warriors_." Vina inhaled, but Janet continued. "Trained to fight, trained to kill. Trained to be the _ultimate_ living _weapons_. But there _are_ others who do not follow that path." She turned and spoke quietly. "We are ready."

Vina went totally still as three holos appeared in the middle of the room. One she knew. Two she did not. The Reverend Mother looked sad. The... not human female who wore the black Banshee warframe was not wearing a helmet. But it was the _other_, the crying woman who wore a white tunic that had Vina freezing in place. The woman's face looked as if she was used to smiling and laughing. But right now? She wasn't. And Vina knew why.

"I didn't want to involve you in this, Vina." The Reverend Mother said quietly. "But now we have no choice." She turned to the crying woman. "Healer... Mishka lives and she is doing fine. She is scared and misses her family. But we _will_ protect her."

"Damn right you will." The Banshee's voice was...wrong. Vina wasn't sure if it was cold or warm, hostile or neutral. It was all of them and more. It was darkness, much like the voice that had ordered her to lie down before the dark warframe had appeared out of nowhere in the airlock. But female and _angry_. "You know what will happen if you don't."

"Serene." The Oracle said sharply. "We are doing what we _can_. Calm down."

"_Serene_..." Vina swallowed hard. _This_ was the Tenno who had destroyed an entire facility to avenge her daughter, another casualty of Bek's madness. Vina felt something inside her rise to meet the Banshee's anger. It... felt right, that anger. A mother wronged. A mother who had lost her child. Vina had lost her own due to her own arrogance and stupidity, but it was the _same_ anger. She nodded and met the Banshee's gaze calmly. "What do you need?"

No double talk. No half truths. No time for diplomacy. If the _Banshee_ was involved... all _hell_ was going to break loose if they didn't get that girl back to her family quickly and safely.

"We need you to go rogue." Serene said with a fire in her eyes that Vina now shared.

"Oh, is _that_ all?" Vina asked with a snort. Serene looked at her and then matched it. "I am already _dead_! What is going _renegade_ after calling for a _strike_?"

"I see why Lis liked you." Serene smiled. It was cold, that smile, but far from cowed... Vina felt energized. She could _do_ something. "And there _is_ one piece of good news."

"Oh?" Vina asked. Serene nodded to the Oracle who spoke.

"If we do this right..." The Oracle said with a nod. "The Company prospers, and _you_ do not stay dead _or_ a renegade. You can go home."

"And if we do it _wrong?_" Vina asked, but shivered as Serene smiled widely. A _Sand Skate_ might have gotten goosebumps.

"Then _we_ go get Mishka back." Serene said with a nod. "And it won't matter _how_ many of your people get in the way. Alive or dead, Bek will _not_ have her. He will _not_ do to her what his people did to _my_ daughter." Vina stared at the Banshee and then nodded.

"No." Vina agreed. "No, he won't. What do you need me to do?" The Banshee nodded to Vina, took hold of the crying woman's arm and both vanished.

"We need Horatius in on this." The Reverend Mother said with a sigh. "He is coming to the colony to talk to Mercedes. We will be reviewed shortly, but I hope..." She broke off and shrugged. "For now, we need information. Your contacts can get us the information we need. Some will be usable. Work with Oracle to get the information."

"Whatever you need." Vina pledged. "And... after?"

"Let's worry about _now_ before we worry about _after_." The Oracle said with sigh. "For now?"

"For _right_ now..." The Reverend Mother said with a smile. "I have a _party_ to help plan..."

* * *

><p><strong>The Corpus colony<strong>

Mishka felt odd when she woke. She was warm. She felt...clean. Had she been washed? She felt...a little wet still.

"Back with us?" Mercedes kind voice came from nearby and Mishka opened her eyes and froze. She was lying on a bed in a surgical recovery room. She wore a patient gown. Mishka opened her mouth, but paused as Mercedes laid a hand on hers. "As we surmised, you are allergic to three types of meds, Mishka." Mercedes said, a warning in her eyes. She angled her eyes right and left and Mishka nodded just a little. They were under observation. Then she realized something. She felt... similar to when she had been kidnapped. The tubes had been removed, but the feeling was familiar. Clean, wet and tubes... They had scanned her while she slept. That felt... _She_ felt... "It's going to be okay, Mishka." Mercedes promised. "It is going to be all right. I am here." She pulled Mishka's hand up to her own cheek and held it there.

"I am scared." Mishka said sadly.

"I know." Mercedes said with a smile. "But um... Tell me something."

"Have you ever been to a holiday party?"


	8. Chapter 8

**Holiday**

"Happy Profit Day!"

Mishka felt... odd. It wasn't the clothing, although that was odd too. It was all some kind of fake fur. She had to admit, it was warm and comfortable. Mercedes had instead that she wear it and Mishka hadn't wanted to argue. The only part of herself that was not covered was her face and that? As soon as she and Mercedes had arrived here, a woman in an odd costume had _painted_ her face! She wasn't sure what the paint was supposed to be, she hadn't seen herself yet. But from everyone else's reactions? It was funny but not malicious.

She wasn't the only one so adorned. Several of the women and kids had their faces painted. It was odd. Everyone was smiling and laughing. Men, women and children all mingled among the odd decorations. A fake tree festooned with credits was prominent, but other things also shone, including a large artificial snowbank. There was food and drink on a table near one wall, but Mishka had avoided it. She was still a bit flustered by the fact that they had scanned her while she slept. It made sense. But... Now this.

Mishka had seen some odd things while growing up. Her mother had worked in a number of places as a med tech and Mishka had gotten used to moving around. But she had been to a few parties here and there. Once her mom had surprised her with a birthday party that she hadn't expected. It had... She sighed. The memory hurt. Would she ever see her mom again?

"Why the long face?" Mercedes looked nothing like her usual self. She wore an odd skintight garment that was bright green. It covered her, but left very little to the imagination. The red and white striped hat that adorned her head was just an extra bit of weirdness. It didn't look _bad_, but... The huge fake pointed ears that stuck out of it were odd to say the least. Not to mention they were pale where Mercedes skin was tanned. "Thinking of home?"

"Yeah." Mishka said softly as Mercedes hugged her gently. The woman wasn't too clingy, but she also was never far away. "Mom was... away a lot. She worked. But..." She slumped a bit. "She will be frantic."

"I know." Mercedes said quietly. "I think the Reverend Mother was going to try to send word. I have no idea how and frankly? It is better not to know such things. But for right now? This is a party. No one will _eat_ you here." She said with a mischievous grin.

"I... I just..." Mishka gave a squeak as Mercedes pulled her into a full hug and held her tight.

"I know." Mercedes said as the girl tensed and then relaxed. "I know the helplessness. I know the fear. I know the... sense that comes when you have no power at all over what is done to you. I... disagreed with you being scanned." She admitted.

"They had to do it with me asleep." Mishka said with a sigh. "But I still... feel violated."

"Yeah." Mercedes said with a sigh. "I know that feeling too." Mishka stared up at the older woman and Mercedes made a face. "The same people who took you tried to kidnap me once. It... didn't work out so well for them, but it was a near run thing." Mishka stiffened at the remembered terror in Mercedes' voice. It was well hidden and controlled, but still there. She hugged Mercedes back.

"What do I do?" Mishka tried not to wilt.

"For now?" Mercedes said with a smile. "Just roll with it. Everyone here has stories. Some better, some worse. Some of the _kids'_ stories would make anything you heard anywhere else pale in comparison." She shook herself. "Look at me, all _serious_. This is a _party!_ Have you eaten anything?"

"I am not...really hungry." Mishka said weakly. Mercedes stared at her and then sighed. "It's not... I just... I am not hungry."

"And you don't know if it is drugged." Mercedes said with a nod. "Some of it is." Mishka went still and Mercedes nodded. "Generally mild calming agents. We have... lots of people with emotional problems here. If you see anything with blue on it, it has a calming agent. I had one myself." Mishka stared at the other and then at the table. A small portion of the table held items that had blue. Several people were selecting food items from that portion and yes, they looked... stressed. One woman took a bite of a blue cookie and relaxed perceptibly. Mercedes nodded to the girl. "What we -the women- do here is stressful enough without the latest insanity. Many of us cannot tolerate anything too strong, so anything here and now will be mild. Meant to relax you, nothing more."

"This is very different." Mishka complained. "We had... parties where I was. But... Not like this." She waved a slow hand around to encompass everything. Mercedes smiled as she looked around too.

Three women who wore some kind of odd blindfolds were huddled together near one wall. Was that a _loom_ near them? Mishka wasn't sure. Old Earth history had never been her thing. They were weaving something. One of the kids wandered by them and paused as they nodded to him in unison. One kept weaving, another measured a length of...was that _candy?_ Some kind of long braided candy? The third cut a length of it and handed it to the boy who smiled widely before taking a bite. He gave each woman a hug that they returned before going back to their weaving.

To the side, a man that she did not know was dressed in an odd red suit. He wore a white wig and had a long white beard. Both were obviously fake, as were the small black stones he was handing out to people from a large white sack. People were grimacing, but it was obviously in fun. But... Did she _know_ the man? He seemed very familiar.

"Do I...know him?" Mishka wasn't sure what she was asking and shut up as Mercedes looked at her.

"You were asleep, but Zacharias was gentle and kind." Mercedes said with a nod. "He let me stay with you through it. Mishka... relax." She chided the girl gently. "No one will hurt you here. No one will _dare_. You are under the Reverend Mother's personal protections. No one would dare." She repeated.

"I just..." Mishka went still as music started and several people were suddenly singing.

Profit comes, Profit comes! We all know the way!

Oh what fun it is to be part of the Company way-ay!

Profit comes, Profit comes! We all know the way!

Oh what fun, it is to be part of the Company way!

Mishka was standing there, her mouth hanging open as the tune rang out and suddenly _everyone_ was singing. Many couldn't. But they did their best. Then an absolutely gorgeous soprano voice rang out from beside her as the tune reached a third stanza and she turned to see Mercedes, grinning like a fool, singing with the others.

"They do not sing where you are from?" Mishka spun to see Janna H-15 from before standing nearby, a cup of something opaque in her hand.

"Not..._that_..." Mishka said weakly. "I..."

"That is a pity." Janna H-15 said with a frown. "I bet you have a beautiful singing voice."

"_Mercedes_ has a beautiful voice." Mishka said in a tone of awe as the woman kept up the carol. "Anyone I ever knew would say the same." Mercedes smiled at the pair, but kept singing.

"That is true." Mishka did not jump -this time- as the Reverend Mother appeared nearby. This was a very different woman from all the other times Mishka had seen her. Oh, the face was the same. The aura of power and mystery was still there. But the old woman wore a brown dress that was ancient looking. It worked for her, but it seemed... Rustic was probably the best word. Not showy, or glamorous, or frivolous or revealing. Just... right for her. "Mercedes has a beautiful voice and she loves to sing."

"And we love to listen to her sing." Janna H-15 agreed. Then she smiled a bit timidly. "Will you sing for us, Reverend Mother?" The carol had ended and a hush swept the room as the Reverend Mother smiled. It was a gentle smile.

"There is a lot that I do that I am not proud of." The old woman said with a sigh. "But this... This I can be proud of." She took a deep breath and started to sing. The voice... Mishka went still. The old woman's voice was perfectly spot on. It wasn't he high soprano that Mercedes managed so effortlessly, this was a deep contra-alto. But it was gorgeous and the words... Mishka _knew_ the words!

'The _First_ Noel, the angel did say... was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay... In fields as they lay... lay keeping their sheep... on a cold winter's night that was so deep!'

Mishka heard another voice pick up after the first verse and the refrain started. She wondered who it was who dared. It was younger, an alto, not as experienced or as strong and it was tantalizingly familiar. But then the Reverend Mother smiled at her and Mishka realized _she_ was singing! She quailed, but... no one seemed to mind! Indeed, _everyone_ was smiling! Janna H-15 was simply radiant and Mercedes looked fit to burst.

'Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel! Born is the king of Israel!'

They did the second verse and the refrain came to a close, but before they could start the third... The entire room was hushed as a _third_ voice started the verse and Mishka and the Reverend Mother joined in.

'And by the light, of that same star, came Wise Men three from country far...'

The new voice was a tenor, not as practiced. A bit rough, but heartfelt. Mishka turned to see a man in the uniform of a Corpus soldier step into the room. This _had_ to be Horatius from the look Mercedes gave him. Mishka might have stopped, retreated in fear, except he was smiling as he joined them. Singing. It was... magnificent. She never wanted it to end, but it had to. All three singers joined hands as the final refrain came to a close.

'..._born_ is the king of Israel.'

Mishka bowed her head after the last note faded. She was not the only one. The Reverend Mother and Horatius did as well. Then applause sounded. It peaked and then faded.

"I thought no one else remembered the old words." The Reverend Mother said into the silence. "I am _so_ glad I was wrong." She gave Mishka a hug and then looked at Horatius.

"How could I _forget_ them?" The soldier asked with a wicked grin. "You made us sing them every year."

"I never _made_ you sing a darn thing, Horatius." The Reverend Mother said with a snap that was totally fake. "_You_ were the one who kept pushing me for the old tunes."

"Oh?" Horatius asked, his smile turning sly. The Reverend Mother stiffened.

"Don't you _dare!_" She started but it was too late. He was singing again, but _this_ time... His smile was huge as he assumed a haughty expression.

'We three kings of Orient _are_... Tried to smoke a rubber _cigar_! It was _loaded_ and _**exploded**__!_ ' He paused. 'Boom!' Everyone jumped and he smirked. 'We _**two**_ kings of Orient _are_...'

Mishka had to giggle at the Reverend Mother's expression. She was hardly the only one. Everyone but the Reverend Mother was laughing as Horatius continued the tune and Mishka was sure she saw a smile trying to pierce the old nun's stern visage. The soldier actually managed almost three verses of the silliness before he started laughing as well and lost the tune. _Everyone_ applauded. Even the Reverend Mother clapped once and then hid her hands. The man in the red suit walked up and gravely handed the soldier a small black stone.

"_Definitely_ naughty." The man in red was smiling.

"Thank you." Horatius said with a wide smile. "Coal has a zillion uses in the field."

"Why did you _have_ to remember _that_ one?" The Reverend Mother demanded.

"Because the look on your face is _priceless_." Horatius retorted with aplomb. His face sobered. "And we need some cheer right now."

"Good point." The Reverend Mother said quietly. "Mishka? Do you know any others?" Mishka tried to shrink away, but the old woman was having none of it. "Come on, girl. You are a good singer."

"Yes, you are." Mercedes said with a side smile as she joined them. "I don't know any, but I looked up the lyrics for one. I do not know the tune."

"Which one?" Horatius and the Reverend Mother both said in unison. They glanced at each other to general laughter.

"Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht?" Mercedes queried. "At least... I _think_ that is how it is pronounced. Not sure which language that title is."

"It's German." The Reverend Mother said quietly. "Not that it matters now. The country that it came from ceased to be a long, long time ago. Long before Orokin fell actually. But the tune... oh yes. Good choice, Mercedes."

"Stille Nacht?" Mishka asked, confused. "I don't know that."

"I bet you _do_." The Reverend Mother said as Horatius took a place beside Mercedes, with Mishka between him and the Reverend Mother. "The translation is 'Silent night, Holy night.' Commonly referred to just as 'Silent Night'." Mishka went still and then nodded. "Can you start?"

"_Me?_" Mishka gave a squeak and swallowed but relaxed as Mercedes gave her a squeeze.

"It is better with just one voice starting." The Reverend Mother said quietly. "I can, if you want. But I think... I think it would come better from you."

"I will try not to mess it up." Mishka said with a gulp. She took a deep, calming breath and started. As always she had to fight from crying as she sang. This one always made her cry.

'Silent night, Holy night. All is calm, all is bright'

Now the Reverend Mother, Horatius and Mercedes joined in and... it was heavenly. Peaceful.

'Round yon virgin, mother and child. Holy infant, tender and mild'

For just a moment, nothing else mattered, just the music.

'Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace.'

* * *

><p><strong>MUCH later<strong>

"That... was..." Mercedes held Mishka's hand as Horatius carried her. She was not quite asleep, but not quite awake either. She was worn out. The crowd had been appreciative, indeed, they had clamored for more and more music until finally Mishka had just collapsed. Mercedes had nodded to Horatius who had picked her up and was now taking her back to Mercedes' home. The party was continuing, but most of the kids were being taken to beds as well. They simply didn't have the endurance of the adults.

"Yeah." The Reverend Mother followed the pair, her face sad. "She is good. With practice, she could be as good as you, Mercedes."

"Better." Mercedes said with a small frown. "Much better. I am about at my limits and my voice... won't last forever."

"Nothing does." The old nun agreed. "But you know she can't stay, Mercedes."

"Yeah, I know." Mercedes said as she held Mishka's hand. "And I am sad. But she needs to go back to her _own_ family. Her mother... must be frantic."

"She is." The Reverend Mother said softly. "I saw her." Both of the others stilled and the old nun nodded. "We are clear for now. Others will try to take advantage of the review to get listening devices or cameras in. We will do what we can, but for now, they are all fried."

"That will cause problems." Horatius wasn't arguing. Just stating a fact.

"If anything at _all_ happens to this one, we haven't _seen_ problems." The ancient Clergywoman said with wince. "Bed?" She asked as Mercedes opened her door. Then she paused. The room was downright crowded now with another bed crammed into it. "Oh..." The Reverend Mother said, concern mounting. "Maybe she should sleep at the Orphanage tonight?"

Mercedes shook her head. There wasn't a lot of space in the small main room with the extra bed and any... interesting ideas that she and Horatius might have would _definitely_ wake the girl.

"I know motherhood will put a dampener on things." Mercedes said with sigh as Horatius laid Mishka down on the extra bed. "I guess this would be what you soldiers would call 'good training'?" She asked with a sigh.

"Pretty much." Horatius agreed. "I need to talk to you both." Mercedes looked at Mishka, but the girl seemed out of it. "If she hears... no problem. I think I figured out what she is. I mean... how many people know the old tunes?"

"More than you might think." The Reverend Mother said calmly. "There are small colonies that practice all kinds of traditions scattered in odd, hard to access areas. We have said that Mishka is Mercedes' niece. Daughter of mother's brother."

"And your family... the records were lost." Horatius mused. Mercedes nodded her face tight. He reached out to hug her. "Vina is alive. A Tenno took her from the airlock before it vented."

"I..." Mercedes smiled. "Thank you. A _Tenno_ though?" She shook her head, confused. "Why would they?"

"I don't know. No messages. No coms. No ransom demands. No nothing." Horatius hugged her gently. "One thing... It was not just any Tenno either." Horatius said with a shrug. "One I met once. A... fairly special one." He looked at the Reverend Mother who winced. "Yeah. _Him_."

"_Just_ what we needed..." The Reverend Mother said with a sigh. "How long can you stay?"

"Unless the Grineer start up the offensive again, I am here for the Review." Horatius said with a sigh. "Joy, joy, joy."

"You said it."


	9. Chapter 9

**MOA minded**

Sheila wasn't really a MOA. Oh, she _looked_ like one. A robot body, two long legs, large disc shaped thing on thhe top that served as a weapon's housing and a sensor cluster in one. But there were a number of things about her that were very different from other Corpus proxies. She had organic parts.

She didn't remember it all. Her first memories were fear and pain, mixed with angry voices and more pain. She remembered running. Then a gentle voice. A gentle touch. She hadn't known who the woman was. She hadn't been very coherent. Her neural net was short circuiting at odd intervals and even when Janet had rescued her, brought her to the Clergy, it hadn't been easy to adapt. Even now, she had odd moments of pain, but at least now, if she did, she could generally fix things herself.

She knew what she was though. A mistake.

She had been built as a prototype of a new kind of MOA. A Command and Control MOA, meant to enhance the effectiveness of other proxies. It... She wasn't right though. She didn't remember much of before Janet had found her... Oh she missed Janet, so much. Jesselle and Zacharias were marvelous, but Janet had been special. The agent was scary at times, but so kind. So gentle. So... sad. Especially after she had been sent on a totally messed up mission and her husband had been lost.

It had been seeing Janet so broken after that awfulness that had decided Sheila on what she had wanted to do. The Clergy were not perfect, far from it. They were humans, and humans were mortal and fallible. But they also knew about wounds, physical and otherwise. They had given Sheila the time to come to grips with her own situation and soon as she had? She knew what she wanted to do. Help others.

Her skillset had gravitated towards medicine from the first, so she had...

What was that noise?

Sheila checked her optical sensors but there was nothing else in the room with her. Her own tiny room was basically a repository of data stacks and a charging receptacle. She didn't need any more than that. Her scanner whirred as she peered around, but...

There it was again!

Sheila went still as she recognized singing. It... wasn't any voice she had on file. It was more than one voice. She liked music and she loved listening to some people sing. The music at the party had been absolutely marvelous. Who might have predicted that Mishka of all people, that terrified young woman, could sing like that? After a few rounds, she had joined in and as always the Clergy had made her welcome. It hadn't always been that way, but she had proven her loyalty and capability and they knew about being hurt. All of them did.

The music swelled and she was on the verge of calling an alarm when it happened. Suddenly, she was elsewhere. Someone was crying close at hand. A woman. She wasn't just crying. She was _bawling_.

"Ma'am?" Sheila asked, unsure of what was going on. She was standing in a small room and... she wasn't a robot! She had a human form, but it was transparent and golden! She shook herself, some kind of virtual simulation, if far, far more sophisticated than anything she had seen from the Corpus, even the Clergy.

The voice gave a gasp and Sheila remained still as two forms uncoiled from a couch she hadn't seen until now. She stilled even further when she realized both were Tenno! A Banshee warframe and an Ember Prime warframe, her databanks identified them in seconds. She didn't bother identifying the weapons they aimed at her. A bow and a throwing disc of some kind. If they wanted her dead, she was.

"I am sorry." Sheila said quietly. "I didn't mean to intrude. I have no idea how I got here." Another form was still on the couch, the woman was crying.

"That... _voice_..." The Banshee slowly lowered her weapon. The Ember Prime did not. "_Sierra_?" The black armored Tenno asked, stunned.

"No." Sheila said with a frown. "My name is Sheila. I..." Of all the reactions she might have expected, she could _not_ have expected the black armored Banshee to _recoil_. "Wait..." The name 'Sierra' rang a bell. The Clergy had recovered all of the records available from the facility in which she had been... made. Sierra had been the name that had been given to the _other_ prototype by the one whose tissue had been taken to clone the organic parts. The one that _hadn't_ failed. The one that had been _destroyed_ when it had tried to _save_... Sheila had never felt this feeling before. She felt her nonexistent eyes start to burn, her mouth start to quiver. "I... _Mom?_"

"This... this isn't _possible_." The Banshee -it had to be Serene- was shaking her head. "What kind of evil _trick_ are you playing?" She demanded, her bow in hand and aimed.

"I didn't do this." Sheila said weakly. "I don't know what happened. I was... on my downtime. I heard... singing." Her tone made the statement a question. "No voices I knew. Then I was here. Wherever here is." The Ember Prime looked from Sheila to the Banshee and back. "Are you Serene?" Sheila begged. "I... No... You owe me nothing. I just..." She slumped. "I am sorry."

"For what?" The crying woman had stopped, her eyes on Sheila's golden holo. Her voice was hoarse from pain and fear, but compassion sang in it. "If as you say, you did not intrude willingly..."

"You cannot trust anything I say." Sheila said sadly. "I will... I will find a way to leave."

"Wait." The woman on the couch rose slowly. "Sheila... That was the name given to the other Command and Control MOA. The one the Clergy found."

"How do you...?" Sheila broke off and groaned. "Oh, yeah. Janet told you, didn't she. Is she...? I miss her." The last words came out of nowhere.

"She found you crying a closet." The Banshee sounded stunned now. "They were looking for you, to downsize you. She rescued you."

"I don't remember it all." Sheila said quietly. "Even with artificial memory... parts were lost. My neural net was a mess. It took the docs some time to make sure I wouldn't expire. They were... kind to me. At first it was just because I had information."

"At first?" The Ember Prime asked, her stance wary.

"There came a time when I stopped being an intelligence asset, an information resource..." Sheila said quietly. "And started believing in what they were doing. I wanted to help. They let me."

"They brainwashed you." The Ember Prime said severely.

"Maybe." Sheila said with a shrug. "But I never saw any of the markers for brainwashing in any of the scans done of my organic pieces. My brain never showed any of the telltales signs of disruptions at points three and seven." Both the armored Tenno stared at her, but the woman who had been crying was eyeing her with open curiosity.

"You know how Corpus brainwashing works." The white garbed woman asked quietly when both others looked at her.

"Well, yeah." Sheila said with a snort. "They follow a standard pattern and it works for 99% of the subjects they acquire. It's not rocket science."

"No, it is _neural_ science." The other retorted evenly. "What did they do to Mishka? Janet won't say." Sheila froze.

"You will be angry." Sheila said, retreating a step, but she got no farther from the three women than she had been. "I didn't mean to come here! I swear I didn't mean to!"

"Serene, Jasmina..." The other said quietly and the two armored Tenno lowered their weapons. "Sheila, child... I am not angry. Not with you. With the Black Ops scum who took my daughter."

"Your..." Sheila swallowed hard. "Mishka is _your_ daughter." It wasn't a question. "Oh my god, I am _sorry_!" Suddenly Sheila was bawling.

Without sense of transition, Sheila was on her knees, crying as the unarmored woman held her gently.

"No." Sheila begged. "No, stay away! I don't want to hurt you!" She tried to push the other away, but black armored hands caught hers and held them gently. Then all she could do was cry as both held her.

It might have been minutes or days, but finally Sheila stopped crying. She looked up into the eyes of Mishka's mother and nodded.

"In order to fake an allergy to common augmentation medications, we needed to do a full series of scans on Mishka." Sheila said with a calm that she certainly did not feel. "The best way to do that was while she slept. She... she didn't say anything. But I know the fact that we didn't ask hurt her. She did something I can't explain and then she was cold and sleeping and we are going to be reviewed and if they find out who and what she is, it..." She was babbling now and cut off when Serene gave her a squeeze.

"Whoa." The Healer said slowly. "She 'did something'?"

"I don't know what." Sheila said with a gulp. "One of our... other patients. One of our donors..." She waited for an outburst but no one did so she continued. "She had a bad shock. She thought she lost her life partner. She didn't know what had happened, just that Vina was supposed to die." Serene jekred, but remained silent. "I couldn't get Mercedes to respond! _Nothing_ worked. No drugs, no nothing. Mishka touched her and suddenly, Mercedes was talking again. And Mishka was so cold, close to hypothermia."

"Idiot girl..." The Healer's voice fond though. "No wonder Janet didn't want to say. I would tan her backside. Probably will when -if- she comes home."

"We are trying." Sheila said with a gulp. "But we needed a secure cover for her. An identity that the investigators could see and understand. Something that they wouldn't have any question about so they wouldn't poke their noses deeper and..." She trailed off.

"And find out who she really is." The Healer said with a sigh. "What exactly is my daughter's condition now?"

"Physically, she is fine." Sheila said, back on firm ground. We were _far_ more careful with the tubes than those bloody black ops _butchers_ were. She had some inflammation when she arrived, the start of an infection in her throat from where they shoved the tube in too hard. But we caught it. I am a bit worried about... further down though." The healer went still and Sheila made noise of fear. "She isn't hurt now, but... the first insertion tore some things. Whoever did it was _not_ a medic. If I catch him _alone_ in a small room..."

"He is dead." Serene said with a frown. "So what you are saying..."

"There is no lasting damage." Sheila said quietly. "She is in perfect health now. She just... it tore."

"Oh." The Healer said slowly. "I see."

"She was bleeding when we got her and we thought at first she had been forced." Sheila said with a frown. "But there were no signs other than the bleeding. She wasn't. Just a ham handed Black Ops scum putting it in the wrong channel." She snarled. "Tell me he _suffered_."

"He did." The dry rejoinder was from the Ember Prime.

"Good." Sheila retorted. "Anyway..." She sighed. "We did the scans. She came through fine. No complications. I was there the whole time. Can you read me? Tell if I am I telling the truth?"

"If you are what you say..." The Healer said slowly. "Then you probably know how to fool such readings..." She went still as Sheila nodded and dropped all of her mental barriers. "I..."

"Trust has to start somewhere." Sheila said, not moving as the Banshee laid a hand on her head. "She is a good kid."

"Serene?" The Healer asked. Instead of answering, Serene embraced Sheila _hard_. "Oh."

"All true." Serene said through tears. "Oh, Sheila, I am sorry. So sorry."

"It is not your fault, Mom." Sheila said sternly. "You did everything you could. I was gone by the time you hit the facility and found Sierra. I wish I had known her."

"She was less than a day old." Serene said, her tears obviously still falling. "And she was probably the bravest being I have met in my life."

"Don't cry, Mom." Sheila said sadly. "It's not what would I have wanted, but it's okay. I am making a difference. I help the kids and the mothers. It's not always fun, but it is almost always rewarding."

"Indeed it is." The Healer replied. "My name is Iriana, Sheila. I am sorry I did not introduce myself before."

"You have an excuse." Sheila replied. "You are stressed. But we _will_ take care of Mishka until we can get her home. Anyone who tries to hurt her will have to go through _all_ of us."

"Yeah, I get that." Iriana said, rising. She held out a hand that Sheila took slowly. Serene rose as well. "So... you don't know how you got here?"

"No." Sheila admitted. "I heard singing. But... no one I knew. Then I was here." She smiled a bit. "Mishka sang at our holiday party. She was a big hit."

"Mishka...sang?" Iriana asked, her face stunned. "She... she hasn't sung in _years!_"

"She was great." Sheila said, unsure. "One of the mothers is pretending to be her aunt to fool any inspectors who get too close and they sang together."

"I... used to sing with her." Iriana said weakly. "But... I haven't... for while. She... We didn't get to a lot." Sheila felt something. A nudge? From where?

"I don't know how or why..." Sheila said quietly. "I cannot take your daughter's place. But... you should not be alone. Not tonight. She sleeps, poor dear exhausted herself singing. But she is warded now. Mercedes and Horatius will see to her safety."

"_Horatius?_" Serene asked, stunned. "_He_ is warding her?"

"Well, technically, he is warding _Mercedes_." Sheila corrected her genetic donor gently. "But Mercedes will not leave Mishka's side, so..." She shrugged. "She is warded. Only a _fool_ will try to do anything with him there. Even unarmed, he is the single most dangerous human I know." Iriana looked worried but Sheila just smiled. "And the gentlest."

"Oh." Iriana said, her face clearing.

"He knows when to be violent and when not to be." Sheila promised her. "But for now... you need help."

"Me?" Iriana asked, confused.

"Your daughter is far from home and in deadly peril." Sheila said softly as she moved to hug the Healer. "For now, she is protected, and not alone. But... that leaves _you_ alone. That is not right." Serene stared at Sheila and then she nodded and stepped back. "You should not be alone tonight of all nights."

"But..." Iriana protested and then gave out a strangled sound as Sheila took her hand and led her towards the couch.

"I cannot replace your daughter." Sheila said with a tiny frown. "It would not be right for me to try. But... could you teach me that music? What Mishka sang? It was beautiful."

"You... You are a Healer too..." Iriana said slowly, stunned.

"Actually no." Sheila said dryly. "Med tech apprentice, that is me. The docs don't like having a MOA with better skills than them." Iriana stared at the girl sized holo and then laughed. It was the first real laughter Sheila had heard since entering this odd place.

"I see some things don't change." Iriana said with a snort. "They didn't like _me_ suddenly elevated from med tech to Healer. Skill matters far less than seniority after all."

"Or organic body parts." Sheila agreed. "That is the excuse they use with me anyway."

"Idiots." Serene, Jasmina and Iriana all chorused.

"You get no argument from me, _or_ the Clergy. They are also fairly well ticked off about it." Sheila said with a snort. "So... The first one was something called "The First Noel'?"

"The tune is ancient." Iriana said quietly. "Based off a religion called 'Christianity' from way back before Orokin was founded. The premise was... the deity felt that humans had lost their way. So he sent his son to guide them."

"That... didn't end well, did it?" Sheila asked, concerned.

"No." Iriana said with a shrug. "The religion has faded into obscurity, but the music remains. And it is good music." She paused and then nodded. "We have lost so much, forgotten so much. But today, tonight... Is the closest we have to the old style 'Christmas'. Not quite the same day, with so much time passed, but close."

"Since you know the history and probably some of the rituals..." Sheila said with a nod. "I should let you pick the music... just... nothing about rubber cigars, please?" She begged.

"Rubber... _cigars_...?" Serene asked. Iriana just smirked and the Banshee held up her hands in a warding gesture. "No! I _do_ _not_ want to know!"

"Wise." Sheila said with a snort of her own. "You _will_ thank me."

Iriana smiled at that, but then opened her mouth and started to sing. Her voice was somewhere between a soprano and an alto. It wasn't perfect, but it was _heartfelt_.

"Hark the herald angels sing! Glory to the newborn king! Peace on Earth and mercy mild! God and sinners reconciled!"

* * *

><p><strong>Nearby<strong>

_They are going to be upset._ The young mental voice was sad as the music continued. After the first refrain, Sheila joined in and then Serene and Jasmina as well. _We were not supposed to roam._

_**They**__ can kiss my butt, Sierra. She needed it. __**Both**__ of them did._

_I am not arguing that, Sara._ The mind of Serene's dead daughter said with a sigh. _But we are going to get in trouble for this._

_Maybe. _Sara replied but her mental voice was proud as Iriana hugged Sheila and Serene joined the embrace, all three still singing. _But it is worth it._

None of the other four heard the two other ethereal voices that joined in. Neither of the minds of Serene's other daughters cared in the _slightest_.

_'Glory to the newborn king!'_


	10. Chapter 10

**Action**

Mishka felt... okay when she woke. It had been fun, but she had been very tired. For a moment, she wasn't sure where she was, but then she looked around and realized she was in Mercedes' room. Two forms lay on the main bed and from their postures... Mishka looked away hastily, her face heating. Her adult vid collection was one thing, but she _liked_ Mercedes. At least they had the blanket over themselves.

She rose from the bed and made her way to the tiny cleaning facility. She hoped the door was soundproofed as she started the cleanser, but when she was done, neither of the others seemed to have moved. For a moment, she paused, unsure. But a bundle lay on a chair near her bed. It was a basic Corpus shipsuit, her size. As she pulled on the boots -also her size- her stomach growled. She did not bother to remain quiet. If she was any judge of character, both Horatius and Mercedes were awake and aware of her. And... might prefer her not to be in the room for a bit.

"Breakfast." The male soldier's voice was quiet and Mishka nodded. "Out the door, left to the elevator. Floor three. Follow the signs. We should meet you there."

"Take your time." Mishka said with a small smile. "I am _really_ hungry and you... You two haven't seen each other for a while. I am young, not blind." Mercedes throaty chuckle sped her to the door. But then she paused. "It was fun, wasn't it?"

"It was." Mercedes said with a sigh. "I might want to talk to you. You have talent and singing is a good workout."

"Workout?" Mishka paused and blanched. "Oh! Exercise!" She said quickly. She had no idea how to get back to the Orphanage.

"_After_ breakfast this morning." Mercedes said kindly. "_Lots_ of people will be... slow to rise today." She smiled at Mishka's expression. "And when we get back? I have some surprises for you."

"_We_ have some surprises." Horatius said as he slid back under the sheet. From Mercedes' gasp, he was doing...something. Mishka hurried out. But she was smiling.

She took the elevator down and into deserted halls. No one seemed to be about until she entered the door marked 'Mess Hall'. Inside, two people were working, both looked up as she came in.

"Hey!" One of the cooks said with a grin. "It's the new girl who sang last night. Wow." He said appreciatively. "That was incredible."

"My name is Mishka." Mishka said with a shy smile. "I am staying with Mercedes."

"Tell me they didn't keep you up all night, girl..." The man said with a frown. Mishka shook her head quickly and his face cleared. "Good. They are both good sorts, but... loud." He paused as Mishka looked at him and his compatriot did the same. He continued hastily, pink coloring his cheeks. "From what I hear anyway!"

"And you would know this... _how_?" The other cook, a matronly looking older woman asked in a deceptively mild voice.

"No comment." The male cook said with a smile.

"Wise." Mishka said with a matching smile. But then she frowned. "No one is here? I would assume people would be hungry."

"Eh..." The male cook made a face. "Lots of people... stayed up late last night." He shook his head as the female cook wagged a finger at him. "Talking! Just talking!"

"I am young, not stupid." Mishka said with grin that the female cook shared. "I do know about boys and girls." Then her grin faded. "But... lots to talk about."

"Later." The female cook had a tray that she was loading food onto. "For now, you look pale, girl. Come on..." She handed the tray to Mishka who took it gratefully. "Singing may not seem like energy intensive, but it is. You have talent."

"_Mercedes_ has talent." Mishka countered as she found a seat at the closest table. "I... haven't practiced recently."

"Could have fooled us." The male cook said with a smile as he bent to his work. "If you want more let me know."

"Aren't these rationed?" Mishka asked, then took a bite. The food was far better than she had expected.

"It is, but..." The female cook looked sad. "We have a surplus of perishables. We... lost people recently."

"Oh." Mishka felt her meal turn to ashes in her stomach. "I am sorry."

"Not _your_ fault." The female cook scolded her. "Filthy clones making a mess as always. Go on, eat." She waved at the tray and Mishka smiled as she dug in.

She was keeping an eye out however, so was not surprised when a group of people entered the mess hall. But they... didn't quite fit. There was something about them that was different. As if... they were not quite comfortable here. Mishka stilled as the kind female cook spoke in a formal tone.

"Meals are ready if you so wish."

They did not speak as they got trays. It was a mixed group. Three men and two women. They sat as a group at another table. Mishka finished her meal and moved to put the tray in the recycler. The female cook looked at her and Mishka shook her head. Whoever these people were, they were not Clergy. She stilled as one of the women rose, her meal half finished and dumped the tray, food and all into the recycler. Mishka stared at the wastage of good food and swallowed her anger. She looked at the cooks and both were studiously looking elsewhere.

"You, girl." The woman said in a tone that immediately sent warning bells to ringing in Mishka's mind. "What is your name?"

"Mishka G-52, Ma'am." Mishka said, starting for the door, only to pause as the woman laid a hand on her arm.

"We will start with you." The woman said with a snap. "Come." Behind her, Mishka could hear two intakes of breath from the cooks, but she just nodded.

The woman was a fast walker. Mishka had to hurry to keep up, but she did not complain. She wasn't sure what was going on, but if this was the review that had everyone worried... She felt fear rise, but dampened it. She would survive this. The woman led her into a room Mishka hadn't been in before. Inside a single chair sat in the middle of a large bank of machinery.

"Sit." The woman commanded and Mishka did as instructed. She managed not to gasp as her arms and legs were suddenly immobilized. Something else encircled her neck and it was tight, very tight for a moment before loosening. The woman started speaking. "Gara Z-94 starting review. Subject says her name is Mishka G-52."

Mishka went still as energy started playing over her head. She was being scanned. She shut herself down as she had been taught so long ago. Back when she had first manifested her inner core of power. She could hide who and what she was. For a while.

-No augmentation detected- A mechanical voice sounded.

"What?" The woman snapped. "What the hell? File!" A holo appeared in front of her and she scowled as she read it. "Allergic. Likely story." She gave a long, drawn out sigh. "Okay... Whatever... Name." Mishka did not move and the woman snarled again. "What is your name, brat?" A stab of pain shot through Mishka, but she did not cry out.

"Do that again, and you will be lucky if _I _kill you." The woman spun with an oath but Mishka was trying to hold back tears of joy as Horatius walked in the door. He wore... What the hell? He wore a hat that was red and white striped with a ball on the end of it that hung down beside his head. He had... a big sack over his shoulder. It... Whatever was in it was boxy and long. For some reason, Mishka didn't think it was _presents_. From how he held the sack... it was probably a weapon or _several_ of them. "Commander Horatius, Special Forces." He said by way of introduction as he stepped to the chair Mishka was stuck in. "And you are one _stupid_ bitch, Gara Z-94."

"You have no authority here..." The woman started, but paused as Horatius raised a finger and wagged it at her. "What?"

"Naughty, naughty. Last I checked..." Horatius said mildly. "Which I _did_ just before I came here to the colony, by the way... A General Investor Review gives the designated reviewers the authority to investigate any allegations. To poke their noses just about anywhere on Company property." He fixed her with a glare that Mishka was suddenly glad was not aimed at _her_. "It does _not_ give them the right to _torture_ people whenever the _hell_ they want. Not without a _lot_ more provocation than your angst at being yanked out of your cushy staff job. Release the girl. Now. Or I _will_, over your _corpse_." Not a threat. A promise. "Reviewer or no, she is a _minor_ and a _ward_ of the Clergy. I am within my rights. Are _you_?" His voice was silky, dangerous.

"You wouldn't dare!" The woman said, but her tone said she wasn't so sure of that.

"Yes he would." Another voice spoke and Mishka went still as one of the men from the group stepped into the room. "Let her go, Gara Z-94."

"But..." The woman sputtered. "She isn't in the _records_! It's all _new_!"

"If you _looked_ at the dates..." The man said quietly. "You would see _she_ is new. A new arrival. Two _days_ ago. Hurt and sick on arrival. And now?" He shook his head. "I am halfway tempted to _leave_ and let the commander _kill_ you. Which he is _well_ within his rights to do. Release her, Gara Z-94. _Now._" This was both command _and_ threat. The woman jerked and Mishka nearly fell out of the chair as all of the restraints unlocked and retracted. Horatius caught her and held her gently until she had her balance. "Go collate the reports, Gara Z-94 while I _try_ to fix this mess you just made." This was not a polite dismissal from the look on her face, but it _was_ a dismissal. She stalked from the room and then man sighed. "Commander." He said with a nod.

"Executive." Horatius said coolly.

"We have been opponents, Commander." The other man said quietly. "But... I happen to agree that Bek was out of line. I wish it hadn't cost us Vina, but..." He sighed and looked at Mishka. "You okay, girl?" She nodded and he shook his head. "Look, Gara Z-94 is a pain in the butt. I _knew_ she would overstep, but I had no idea it would be this soon. There are a lot of people with a lot of grudges against the Clergy."

"Like you." Horatius hadn't relaxed, Mishka noticed. Neither did she.

"We have had our disagreements, yes." The Executive said with a nod. "But come, Commander. Were they going to send Clergy _partisans_ to review you?" He sighed. "Mishka G-52 is it? My name is Jules. I was designated as a reviewer for the Clergy colony here. Are you hurt? Do I need to call a medic?" She stared at him and he shrugged. "This is going to be messy enough without Commander Horatius here or the Reverend Mother killing my people. Are you _hurt_?" He insisted.

"No sir." Mishka said quietly. "I have been hurt worse."

"I don't doubt it." The man who called himself Jules said with a sigh. "We need to ask you questions, but the Commander is right. You are a minor and you likely do not know all of your rights. So...?" He took a deep breath. "Do you want to go somewhere else? Somewhere more pleasant?"

"I want this done, sir." Mishka said quietly. "Every moment we delay... it hurts the company, does it not?" The Executive looked at her and nodded slowly. "Then I can handle it."

"Good girl." Jules said with a nod. "Okay. What is your name?"

"My name is Mishka G-52, but I prefer Mishka... My mom..." She swallowed hard. "She called me Mishka. Just Mishka or... Mishkling... I..." She bit back tears and a hand touched her shoulder. She didn't have to look to know it was Horatius'. "I don't know how I got here. There was a man... I think... He wore a weird red and black suit." Horatius jerked and she continued. "He... he did something and I fell asleep. I woke up here." That was the truth, if not all of it.

"Your mom?" The Executive asked quietly.

"I don't know." Mishka said with a sob. "I... I don't know." The man made a face and then blew out a breath.

"Okay, I have some basic questions for you then, _Mishka_." He said, emphasizing her name. "Nothing bad or hard. Do you serve the Company?"

"I don't know." Mishka said savagely. "This is all new. It is all... different. There are... pieces that make sense and others that don't."

"Be calm, girl." Jules said quietly. "I am not your enemy here. You are a victim, not a criminal. These people will take care of you. I may disagree with a lot they do, but they _do_ know how to help hurt kids." He nodded to Horatius. "You may go."

Horatius' hand was on Mishka's arm as she rose. He guided her from the room. She noticed that his other hand hung free. The sack was attacked to his suit somehow.

"He knows, doesn't he?" She asked after they had gone a bit.

"He suspects something." Horatius said quietly. "He can't _know_. Not yet. But we will need to get you out of here, soon." He smiled at her. "The spike she hit you with should have knocked you out."

"That was a psychological play, wasn't it?" She asked as they entered the elevator."She was the bad one, he was the good one?"

"Yeah." Horatius said with a shrug. "He is good at that. Fooled _me_ once. Never again."

"I am sorry." Mishka said with a gulp. "I didn't know what to do."

"I know." Horatius' was gentle as he guided her to the elevator. "Jules... isn't really a bad sort, for an Executive. He has a kid of his own. We... The Clergy... helped the kid at one point and it splashed on him. It wasn't his fault, but many people assumed it was."

"You were involved." Mishka's words were not a question.

"I was." The soldier said with a nod. "He will be busy for a bit. Hopefully, we can get you out of here before they get back to scrutinizing your records."

"And if they get to me sooner?" Mishka fought the stab of terror that raced through her.

"Then we improvise. Something I am good at," Horatius replied as they reached Mercedes apartment and the door opened. Mercedes nearly flew out, her face stricken. "Here she is, they only had her for a little bit."

"Are you okay?" Mercedes hugged Mishka tight. "The cooks commed, said that woman took you from breakfast."

"I am okay." Mishka said, returning the embrace. Mercedes scrutinized her for a moment and then smiled. "What?"

"Now the fun part." Mercedes said with a grin a she slid a packet out from under the bed she and Horatius had been in. On it lay a bunch of small wrapped things.

"Presents!"

* * *

><p><strong>A few minutes later<strong>

"Nothing?" Jules demanded as he stared at the readouts.

"He must have fried the sensors." Gara Z-94 was cold, her tone precise and clipped as she worked her equipment. "We got nothing on the girl's genetics. We _know_ they are hiding dissidents and malcontents here as well as escaped experiments. We need a sample of her DNA. But getting it will be... problematic with that soldier guarding her. If she had only fallen asleep... I could have done it and no one would have been wiser."

"If he had come in with you bending over her still form, he would have killed you." Jules replied with a sigh.

"He would have been within his rights." Gara said with a nod. "This feels...wrong. I disagree with a lot of what the Clergy does, but this..." She nodded to the chair where Janna H-15 lay unconscious. A medical MOA deftly extracted a long needle from the girl's arm. A beam came from the MOA and the almost invisible spot of red on the girl's arm vanished. The woman's tone moderated. "Janna H-15? You awake?"

"Yes, Ma'am." The girl said groggily. "I apologize. I did not mean to nod off."

"It's all right." Gara Z-94 said, a far cry from the haughty woman who had accosted Mishka. "You had a long night last night. We do have questions though."

"I serve the company." Janna H-15 said firmly as she sat up.

* * *

><p><strong>Later that day<strong>

The room was the same, but Jules was gone.

"This is not good. He will figure it out. Soon." The female voice was Gara Z-94, but she sounded... worried. "That girl... A full power pulse didn't knock her out? She is...different. Not sure how. But he will figure out that I fried the sensors. When he does?"

"I don't want to burn you, Gara. You are a good asset. But this is _very_ important." The Reverend Mother replied quietly. "How long can you delay him?"

"A day? Maybe two?" Gara said with a sigh. "I serve the company, Reverend Mother, not those fools."

"_Can_ that." The old nun snapped. "For now, you are interrogating me and getting nothing. So..."

"Yes, ma'am..." Gara said with deep sigh and then her tone became sharp. "You _will_ tell me what I want to _know_, you arrogant Clergy _**bitch**_!"

"Will I?" The Reverend Mother replied with aplomb as the door opened and Jules strode in, his farce worried. "Ah, Jules. Right on time."

"Why do we even _bother_ to _try_ with you?" Jules asked sourly. "Okay... Questions..."

* * *

><p><em>Assets in place. Extraction ready. This will cost.<em>

_Payment will be provided on receipt of package._

_Always nice dealing with a fellow professional. The Perrin Sequence is at your disposal, Lotus._


	11. Chapter 11

**Gifts**

Mishka was reeling a bit. Mercedes had been quite thorough in her planning. She hadn't had a clue that the older woman had been listening, or had talked to people who had talked to Mishka. Every single one of the tiny, easy to carry things that Mercedes had wrapped up with care to present to her had been well thought out and useful.

The things Mercedes had given Horatius were... slightly less so. Mishka felt her cheeks heat a bit even now, an hour after he had unwrapped the largest of his gifts. It didn't help that _he_ had given _her_ a tiny little garment that was... Well, the less said about it the better. Printed words were probably larger than the actual fabric. Mercedes had been ecstatic though and her response had made Mishka beat a hasty retreat from the room. Albeit with a smile on her face. This time, though, a MOA was following her. Not Sheila, but a regular Corpus bot. It was armed and Horatius had said in no uncertain terms that Mishka would not be left alone again. She hadn't argued. Much.

But that left Mishka in a bit of a quandary. She had no money and nothing to give to either of _them_. It wasn't huge, the debt between them. Mercedes gifts were a set of packages of sweets, warm gloves and a hat. Horatius had given her a tiny tool that would extend different accessories as needed. Not that expensive. But it wasn't the cost. Or... not the cost in credits. She liked both of them. She wasn't sure even now if she could trust them, but she did like them.

She was pondering the debt as she ran with the other children from the orphanage. She was hardly the only one with an escort. It seemed as if a small army of MOAs was running with them today but it was only ten. None of the kids were talking though and that was never a good sign. Mishka moved up beside +Janna H-15 and nodded to the other girl. Janna H-15 was still not keeping up, but Mishka and another girl were flanking her, providing support. When she flagged? They would carry her if needed. She was trying now, and that was more than it had been.

"They... get you too?" Janna H-15 asked between gasping breaths.

"The reviewer?" Mishka asked and Janna nodded. "Yeah." She said sourly. "Hurt like hell."

"They _hurt_ you?" The other girl asked, to all appearances shocked.

"I don't know what it was." Mishka said with sigh as she continued. "But it hurt. Then Commander Horatius came in and... he was _upset_."

"Is he as dreamy up close as he looks from a distance?" The other girl asked, her eyes wide. "I could never get close at the party."

"I _wouldn't_." Mishka said with a smile. "Mercedes is a nice person... _but_..." She trailed off in a mischievous voice.

"Yeah... She is nice, but... don't poach." Janna H-15 said with a laugh that ended in a gasp. "They had a... medical MOA... when I went." Mishka moved closer, just in case.

"Me too." The other girl confirmed. "Maybe they were worried they had hurt you?" She asked Mishka who snorted.

"Probably _more_ worried about the Reverend Mother or the Commander getting angry. That guy is _scary_ when he is angry." Mishka said with a smile to take the sting from her words. "I am glad they didn't hurt you, Janna H-15." She nodded to the other and the girl nodded back.

"Tiffany R-24." The girl said with a nod. "We didn't get the chance to meet. They spirited you away yesterday."

"I ah... needed to talk to some people." Mishka said with a shrug. "I... probably shouldn't talk about it."

"Then don't." Janna H-15 agreed. "Secrets are secret for a reason." She stumbled but caught herself. Mishka moved to support her, Tiffany R-24 as well. Janna H-15 made a face, but did not struggle. She focused on running.

"I hope the reviewers agree." Mishka said with a sigh as the trio approached the end line. All of the other kids were applauding Janna H-15 who was still running. Mishka and Tiffany R-24 didn't have to hold her much. "I need to think of what to give them. Mercedes and Horatius. I... don't have any money."

"You can make something." Tiffany R-24 said as they crossed the line and Janna H-15 nodded to be released. They did and she walked to cool off, the other two matching her pace. "Materials may be hard to come by though."

"I don't know." Mishka admitted. "I think..." She paused. She felt faint suddenly. Her left thigh stung worse than the cramps of running. "I..."

"Mishka G-52?" Janna H-15 asked, worried. "You okay?"

"I don't..." Mishka shook her head and regretted it instantly as vertigo soared. "I don't _know_... suddenly... dizzy..."

"What?" Janna H-15 asked, worried, then she blanched. "Mishka G-52!" She called as she and Tiffany R-24 both caught Mishka as the girl fell. "_Medic_!" She screamed. But then Mishka knew no more.

**Moments later**

"What happened?" The Reverend Mother was not angry. She was not sad. She was cold. Ice cold.

"We don't know." The lead medic working on the unconscious girl knew his boss. He knew her moods. This one was bad. He spoke quickly as he worked his scanners. The girl looked so pale and lost lying on the track. "I can't find anything wrong with her! Her vitals are fading. We are losing her!"

"Get her to Medical. Now. Top priority!" The old woman commanded, then turned to the kid who were milling. The team or humans and mech bundled the girl up and departed at a run. "_Class_. _Now_." She commanded and most of the kids dispersed, but one remained. Janna H-156 was wringing her hands. "Janna H-15?" She asked, her tone moderating.

"There didn't seem to be anything _wrong_ with her, Reverend Mother." The girl was nearly in tears. "She was running fine, then she just... She said she was dizzy and then she collapsed. I..."

"Not your fault." The Reverend Mother laid a hand on the girl's trembling shoulder. "Not your fault."

"Is there _anything_ I can do?" Janna H-15 begged.

"Pray." The Reverend Mother said with a sigh as she turned and walked towards the exit, the way that led to Medical. She was not looking forward to this. But at the door, she paused. Then she turned back to scrutinize the scene. All of the MOAs had left, minus the one that had been escorting Mishka. That MOA stood, oddly dormant. As if... it had no orders. She eyed it and then opened her com. "Full security lockdown! I need a tech team at the Orphanage. Now."

Even Serene might not have bettered her dark tone.

* * *

><p><strong>Half an hour later<strong>

Mercedes wasn't crying, but she had been. She sat in the tiny waiting area, her hands in her lap. She was speaking under her breath. Praying. Horatius stood, still as a statue near one wall. _He_ was armed. No one would dare argue. Not right now.

"Mercedes...?" The timid voice sounded and both turned to see a medical MOA enter. It shimmered for a moment and then Sheila stood there, her camouflage systems deactivating. "She is alive."

"A... Alive?" Mercedes gave a gasp and then relaxed. "What happened?"

"She was poisoned." Sheila said flatly. Everything seemed to come to a complete stop in the room. Horatius stared from the MOA to his mate and then back, his eyes flat and hard. "The _only_ reason she survived is that we had the full scans... If we hadn't..." The MOA made sobbing noise. "We would be mourning her right now."

"How...?" Mercedes swallowed. "How is she?"

"We have her in a controlled coma at the moment." Sheila said quietly. "She is... very weak. We have her on full support but her vitals are improving. She is..." The MOA that wasn't one paused. "I think... I think she would like you to be with her, Mercedes."

"Is it... safe? For her?" Mercedes asked.

"It is." Sheila reassured her. "She can't see or hear you, but I think... I think she will know, somehow. It has been known to happen." Mercedes looked at Horatius and he nodded. She darted for the door and out. "I..." Shelia made gulping noise and the soldier looked at her.

"What poison?" Horatius asked slowly. "You didn't want to say in front of Mercedes."

"7-Crimson." Sheila replied softly. Horatius actually recoiled and Sheila made a noise of rage. "I know. Neurotoxin. The _only_ reason we saved her was that we had the full scans. Even so, she is going to be unconscious for a couple of days at the very least and in rehab for some time after."

"I knew they were _mad_..." Horatius said with a swallow. "But... a little _girl_...?"

"It is what they _want_, Horatius." The Reverend Mother... was angry. So very angry. "To sow fear. They tampered with the MOA, set up a single shot dart thrower. Then it was just a matter of time. According to the programming we found... it was set to attack any of the girls. _Just_ the girls." Horatius had gone still, his face a mask. But his eyes... Shelia actually took a step back. "If it had shot Janna H-15 with that dart thrower..."

"She would have been dead before she hit the ground." Horatius snapped. "Nothing to revive. Mishka was tougher." He shook himself. "_Is_ tougher. The compound?"

"Locked down as soon as she collapsed." The Reverend Mother said firmly. "No coms. The reviewers are a bit annoyed, but I 'explained' to them. I wasn't very polite."

"My heart _bleeds_." Horatius snapped. "Leads?"

"The MOA was reprogrammed a day ago. While everyone was at the party." The old nun said with a nod. "Security was on alert, but none saw anything. We need it tighter. Although how to get that..." She sighed. They already had some of the tightest security in the Solar System for this colony. Which was the whole point of this attack, to show that no security was impenetrable.

"Much as I hate them..." Horatius said with a sigh. "They are not all clumsy fools and charlatans. Some of them are actually quite good. They probably tampered with an Osprey and sent it in to target one of the MOA fabricators. Not difficult, if sophisticated. But _this_..." He shook his head. "Was it aimed at her specifically?"

"Targeting algorithm was _any_ girl." The Reverend Mother said with a shrug. "I think they meant to send a message."

"Oh, we _got_ it." Horatius said with a snarl. "Requesting permission to send a message of my _own_."

"We could _use_ a prisoner." The old woman said with a nod. "But I am not going to hold my breath. And if you _do_? We only need _one_ to explain to various people that _we_ didn't do this."

"Hale?" Horatius asked, his tone clinical.

"Able to talk. Or at least be interrogated." The old woman replied, her tone just as clinical. "I... need to... make some calls." She bowed her head. "Too close, Horatius. This was _way_ too close." She paused as he com chimed. "What _now?_" She keyed it live and froze as an _impossible_ voice issued from it.

"They don't know they failed yet." _Janet's_ voice was _**furious**_. "Landing pad 3-A. Intended as a trap. Make! _It_! _**HURT**_!" The com clicked off and all three stared at each other. Horatius nodded and vanished out the door.

"I don't know what is scarier..." Sheila said slowly. "The fact that _she_ knows what happened, the fact that she could get through to you at a moment's notice, the fact that we were attacked _here_ of all places... or what _Horatius_ will do."

"With all of the security thrown for a loop, both by the review and by _me_ trying to protect that poor kid..." The old nun said heavily as she sat. "I need you to reactivate your C&C protocols, Sheila."

"Reverend Mother..." Sheila protested. "I can't _do_ that! If the Board find out I am... not a medical MOA with delusions of grandeur..."

"If Mishka dies, Sheila..." The Reverend Mother said softly. "Then the Red Veil get what they want without them lifting a finger. A purge of blood and fire. Oh, they did not think this through. _They_ would _all_ die shortly after. Either Horatius' vengeance or the Tenno's would purge _them_ as thoroughly as they want to purge everyone _else_." She sighed. "But right now, I need Security at full speed, Sheila. I know you don't like it. I know it is... uncomfortable for you."

"I like her too." Shelia said with a small sob. "I... Online." She said in a tiny voice. "All proxies reporting status. No anomalies so far." She sounded as if she were crying and the old nun laid a hand on her housing. "Horatius is... gathering a team."

"Let him work." The old woman said as she rose. Sheila followed her into the other room. Mercedes sat by a bed in which Mishka lay still. The girl's face was pale and drawn under the oxygen mask. Mercedes was praying and after a moment, the Reverend Mother moved to stand by the sobbing woman, her own prayers adding to the distraught younger woman's.

Sheila... was busy.

**A VERY short time later**

The Red Veil had no chance.

Even with time to set up a trap, which they had possessed, they had no chance. The Red Veil were terrorists. They relied on speed and brutality to accomplish their missions. They struck from the shadows and then vanished just as quickly. They were not Tenno by any means, but they were fairly good at asymmetrical warfare. If you were not... You didn't survive long. The cell of Red Veil who operated off the ship were survivors of battles with Grineer, Corpus and Infested. They knew how to fight and when to.

They still had no chance.

If the Clergy had operated as a regular Corpus force, then they would have had all kinds of chances. Corpus forces generally disdained subtle. They swamped the area with proxies and then troops. Most of said troops would be brainwashed crewmen, little better than drones. Dangerous, to be sure, but not the brightest of bulbs. Behind them would be the support elements, Techs and Snipers, Nullifiers and medics. All of which multiplied any Corpus' force's power manifold. But again, all of these had been indoctrinated to serve the Company first, last and only. They obeyed any order given to them by higher authority with no more compunction than a MOA might have. Maybe less. In some cases, they had initiative. Not many. And the Red Veil had learned how to use the Corpus' weaknesses against them. Remove their tech advantage and kill them quickly and efficiently.

The entrance corridor to the ship had been rigged with a series of nozzles. Each led to a tank that contained a fairly nasty caustic mixture. The Red Veil had been trying for a long time to duplicate the toxins that the Saryn warframes could generate so effortlessly, but they had never -quite- managed it. Close, but not quite. Any regular Corpus crewman or proxy entering that corridor would die. Even if they had extra protection, it would only slow the inevitable as the acids ate through the armor and into the body beneath.

That wasn't the problem. The problem was that they had assumed they would be facing regular Corpus troops after their attack.

They were _not_.

* * *

><p>"Yuck." Cass' voice was subdued as he shook his head. He had hacked into the ship's systems. "That is one <em>nasty<em> mix... And mechanical. No way to hack the controls."

"Right. Corridor is out." Horatius said as he checked his weapon. For this... He held an Amprex. The weapon had been modified to Special Forces standards. It wasn't his preferred weapon, more a 'spray and pray' type of weapon than an actual instrument of precise destruction. But it was efficient for all of that. Since they wanted prisoners... the only way Red Veil were _taken_ prisoner was to knock them out. Fast. They always had suicide devices or explosives on their persons or other general nastiness. "Breaching charge?"

"Set." Obmar wasn't a loud man. Ever. But he was also a good hater. And if there was anyone the Corpus Special Forces hated... it was the Red Veil. Some might accuse Special Forces of being fanatics and often times, there was truth in that. In order to fight bad things, sometimes you had to be _worse_.

"Opposition?" Horatius asked. Cass paused and his body language was perplexed. "Cass?"

"I am reading six, boss." Cass said with a frown in his voice. "But this is odd. They have to know we are here. The lockdown and MOAs surrounding the ship would be dead giveaways, right?"

"Yeah..." Horatius prompted the tech who shook his head.

"They are not moving." Cass said with a sigh. "_None_ of them. The drives are offline. No self destructs or large quantities of explosives I can detect..." Chemical and radiation sniffers were common in space ports. "Only thing off is the tanks lining the corridor."

"It's a suicide mission." Obmar pointed out. "They knew there was no way to get away. Have they already killed themselves?"

"No." Cass said dubiously. "I am reading life signs. But... odd..."

"Odd... _how_?" Horatius asked, his weapon ready. But then.. everything stopped.

A man sized form stepped out of the ship. It...was a warframe, but... not. It... wasn't any warframe that Horatius had ever seen. It held a bloody scythe in one hand. A bow was slung across it's back and throwing knives on its hips. Horatius and this team aimed, but the warframe... knelt.

"None are dead. They are all yours." Stalker said with a nod as he vanished.

"Merry Christmas."


	12. Chapter 12

**No greater love**

"She is not dead, Mercedes..." The Reverend Mother said gently. "You know it. We will protect her. This kind of thing was a once off. It won't happen again."

They were still in the ICU. But now? A pair of fully armed Special Forces soldiers stood guard at the door. This attack had come far too close for anyone's comfort. Horatius had called in backup. They were not allowed in the breeding facility, but had it guarded. The rest of the area was still under full lockdown. Once the situation had been explained to them, even the _reviewers_ agreed that this was the best course of action. They were still trying to get hold of Mishka's DNA, hence the flesh and blood guards at the door.

"I... I know." Mercedes held the Mishka's hand in her own. "She just... she is a good kid, Reverend Mother! She didn't deserve this!"

"No." The old nun said sadly, laying a hand on Mercedes' shoulder. She paused and sighed. "How long since you slept, Mercedes?"

"Too long. I know." Mercedes said with a sigh. "I just... We almost _lost_ her. And to such a _cowardly_ attack..."

"That is what terrorists _do_, Mercedes." The Reverend Mother said quietly. "They cannot or _will_ not fight conventional forces, so they target those who cannot fight back. But this..." She shook her head. "_This_ was a _mistake_. Even the _Board_ will not ignore this. They _cannot_. Most of _them_ have children, heirs. If the Red Veil start targeting _those_... All _hell_ will break loose. The Board have access to our entire arsenal and if they are pushed hard enough? They _will_ use anything and _every_thing."

"On who?" Mercedes asked, tears still falling.

"Does it matter?" The ancient clergywoman asked with a sigh. "If they escalate such, everyone else will." She gave a shrug. "The Grineer are evil, but there are _not_ all completely stupid. They know we have nuclear weapons and _worse_ in our arsenals. They push us far enough... and it will only end one way." She slumped a bit. "And if the _fanatics_ do? Same thing. The Board will not care if they have to nuke, irradiate, contaminate or just _destroy_ entire habitats to get a few of them. They _will_ do it if they are pushed. And then... we lose. All of us." Mercedes nodded.

"If everyone _dies_, does it _matter_ who wins?" Mercedes' soft word were not really a question. "I... I... need to ask you something. Something... private." The Reverend Mother sighed, and her mind slowly and carefully touched Mercedes'.

_No_ The word was calm, but adamant.

_I just want to __**talk**__ to them!_ Mercedes protested. _That is all._

_No, you want to __**kill**__ them. _The old woman retorted. _So do I. But it is not that simple. Death is what they __**want**__, Mercedes. And you are not a killer._

As far as the Reverend Mother knew, no one had _ever_ captured an entire _cell_ of Red Veil before. Admittedly, four of the six terrorists were... more than a _bit_ the worse for wear. Whoever or _what_ever that not-quite-a-Tenno had been, he had been just as thorough as any other Tenno might have been. None of the Red Veil had _died_. Two had lost their legs, another an arm. Only their armor's medical systems had kept them alive long enough for Horatius' people to secure them. Another might or might not ever walk again. A throwing knife had cut her spine near the mid-back. The other two were lucky. _They_ had just been knocked unconscious.

Well... Lucky in facing the odd apparition who wasn't quite a Tenno anyway. _Sister Harriet_ had arrived and taken charge of them. She was... very thorough. All of them had been wired with suicide devices and several had other means of self destruction on their persons. None had been able to use them. _All_ would crack eventually under the sister's less than gentle ministrations. She didn't _bother_ to be gentle with _terrorists_.

_Actually... no._ Mercedes said with a sigh. _Part of me wants to. But the rest of me? I want to understand._

_No you don't. _The Reverend Mother insisted. _They are fanatics, girl._

_Fighting fanatics only makes them __**more**__ fanatic, Reverend Mother._ Mercedes said firmly. The old nun paused and Mercedes sighed. _I am tired, but... there is one person I __**need**__ to talk to. Soon. She will be freaking. They __**all**__ will be._

_Mercedes, you do not know what you are saying. _The old woman said harshly. _I will not expose you to that. I cannot._

_Reverend Mother, please... _Mercedes begged. _Let me talk to Mishka's mother. I can... explain. Offer apology. She was my responsibility and... I failed._

_You... I..._ The Reverend Mother stammered. _Mercedes, it is not your fault!_

_No. _Mercedes said calmly. _But it __**is**__ my responsibility. I... will offer whatever reparations they demand. She was under my protection and I failed her._

_So did I. _The Reverend Mother said sadly but then...something changed and the old woman spoke again. _Not_ to Mercedes. _No! She is not part of this! She is not... She... I... No... please!_ She begged.

_I offer apology._ Mercedes said into the silence that resounded in her mind. _I failed her. I failed Mishka._

_You... _The Reverend Mother slumped. _Do not speak. Come. _She straightened and her hand fell way from Mercedes' head. She spoke to the Special Forces soldiers. "No one but Mercedes or Sheila is to be left alone with this girl. No doctor, no nurse, no proxy, _no one_ except Mercedes or Sheila. Mercedes needs rest. Horatius is still busy?"

"Yes, Ma'am." The female Special Forces soldier said with a nod. She sounded a bit nervous. No one would blame her. No one.

"Right." The head of the Clergy said quietly. "Make sure whoever relieves you here is briefed. _No one_ is left alone with this girl except Mercedes or Sheila. Not even _me_. Lethal force _is_ authorized to protect this girl." Both soldiers nodded. "Come, Mercedes. There is a bed nearby with your name on it."

Mercedes was reeling as they exited the ICU. Who had the Reverend Mother been arguing with? What was going on? She expected to be led to her apartment, but instead of up to the housing areas... The elevator went down. _Way_ down. The elevator opened to a large room that was... strangely bare. It wasn't empty, but it was bare. Two doors led from it and the Reverend Mother led Mercedes to one of those. Inside, the smaller room was set up as living quarters. It... hadn't been used in a while.

"This was Janet's quarters." The Reverend Mother said to Mercedes' unspoken question. "On the bed. Lie down. Get comfortable. It won't be safe... but... I will try to protect you." The sadness in the old nun's voice had Mercedes' flinching. Mercedes did as instructed and... _Please do not hurt her!_ She begged.

_I will not hurt her._ A new voice. This voice was female, kind, gentle. No one Mercedes knew. _She has been hurt enough._

_Who...?_ Mercedes felt her body slowly relax. It...wasn't her doing it.

_No, dear Mercedes._ The voice said sadly. _You are not ready for that information yet if ever. You have too much to do still. Too many things you need to do. Relax, let me take you where you need to go. It will not hurt. I will not let you hurt. They are angry. As you are. They need the reassurance you can give. __**She**__ needs the reassurance you can give. The calm you __**alone**__ can give them._

_What I can do... I __**will**__._

Suddenly, Mercedes was standing in a small room that seemed filled to bursting. Many people, talking. Most angry. No... Not _people_. Not _humans_. She wilted for a moment as all of the _warframes_ in the room turned to look at her.

The room was odd. It was... too bright? Or... not bright enough? The walls seemed to crawl with writing of some kind, but then they were solid. Or were they? She didn't know. Or care. Her attention was on the woman in the middle of the room. The woman in the white tunic was sobbing. Mercedes ignored the warframes around her, ignored the glares leveled on her as she strode to where the woman was crying. She threw her arms around the woman, her own tears meshing with the woman's.

"I am sorry." Mercedes said through her sobs. "I am _so_ sorry. I took responsibility for her and I failed her." The whole room...stilled at her words. "I am no soldier. I just tried to be there for her... And I _wasn't_." Bitterness sang in her words.

"What happened?" A strong male voice asked from nearby. She did not look. "Exactly?"

"The Red Veil took advantage of the chaos that was caused by a review being done on all Corpus activities." Mercedes said quietly, still holding the crying woman. "We are still figuring it out, but... a MOA was reprogrammed to deliver a poison dart to our Orphanage. Aimed at one of our girls. It hit Mishka_._" A horrified gasp swept the room.

"They are _dead_..." A female voice sounded form nearby. A dark, terrible voice. "I will kill them _**all**_. _Every __**last **__**one**__** of them**__!_"

"She isn't dead." Mercedes said quickly. A hush fell and she could _feel_ the scrutiny on her now. The sobbing woman paused in her tears. Mercedes chuckled wetly and without humor. "That girl is _tough_. We _nearly_ lost her. She is still now. They say... a controlled coma. So still, so pale and still, but she is not _dead_. I... I had to... I failed her..." She slumped.

"So did I." The voice was from right by Mishka's ears as arms surrounded her. "You are Mercedes." Mercedes nodded as a hand stroked her hair.

"What can I _do_?" Mercedes begged. "I want to _help_." The woman in her arms stiffened and Mercedes continued. "She is a good kid. A _very_ good kid. I have only known her a couple of days and I _love_ her... I want to _help_. Please..." She begged. "Let me help?" She pleaded.

"You _have_." The arms around her gave her a hug. "Give her my love."

Then Mercedes was falling.

Mercedes jerked awake, aware of the Reverend Mother kneeling beside the bed, an unusual look of worry on her face.

"Mercedes?" The old nun asked, her voice oddly hesitant.

"I... I don't know what just happened." Mercedes said. Her memory was foggy, dreamlike. A room? A crowd of people? A crying woman in white. _That_ was clear, but...fading. "But I apologized. She... she told me to give Mishka her love." She sighed as the Reverend Mother laid a hand on her forehead. "I won't remember this...will I?"

"No." The Reverend Mother said sadly. "There are too many secrets you cannot know. Too many dangers for me to protect you from. I will be gentle."

"Make sure I remember to hug Mishka." Mercedes said with sigh as power enveloped her. It soothed her. Dimly she heard the Reverend Mother chuckle.

"Like I am going to _have to_?"

* * *

><p>"That was..." Iriana stared at where the Corpus woman had been standing a moment before and then stared around at the other Tenno who had gathered. "I..." She shook her head. "<em>Crazy<em> woman. I hope she is okay."

_She is._ The voice of the Lotus was gentle in Iriana's mind. _She will not remember this. We cannot let her remember. _

"_We_ will remember." Iriana said quietly. "_Serene_." She said sternly. The rows of Tenno around her parted and a black armored Banshee stood warily in front of her. "Calm down."

"You believe her." Serene said as her warframe vanished, robes taking its place in this virtual world.

"Can you think of any way a _human_ could _fake_ what she was feeling?" Iriana's voice was still stern. Humans did not have the control Tenno did. Everyone in the room had felt the woman's fear, her despair, her guilt, her love for Mishka in its entirety. "She came here willing -expecting- to _die_. To apologize for something that wasn't her fault." She shook her head. "To take responsibility for harm done to our lost daughter." She sighed. "Serene..."

"They cannot get away with this." Serene said quietly. "We cannot _let_ them get away with this."

"Leave that to _me_, Darlin'." All eyes turned to where Nikis stood by one wall. He nodded. "I won't kill any, but I will make it...memorable." He chuckled. "Have a whole lot of bags of Kubrow droppings that I have been waiting to use..." More than one of the Tenno flinched from the Nekros' obvious glee.

"I don't want to _know_ why you have been collecting that." Iriana said with a wave. "But... have fun."

"Oh, I _will_, Healer." Nikis bowed extravagantly and vanished.

"That... does not make me less worried for some reason..." Iriana said, a ghost of a smile playing across her face. Then she sighed. "Lotus... I need to talk to Janet. Alone." The other Tenno in the room all stiffened in instant rebellion, but Iriana shook her head. "If she is... hurt as badly as Mercedes said, then our extraction plan won't work. And..." She looked the Rhino in the eye. "If you go storming in there after her, Mishka will never forgive you. Nor will I."

The Rhino looked at the Healer and then nodded slowly. When he spoke it was calm. "If you need us, any of us. Let us know."

"I will." Iriana said quietly. The other Tenno vanished one by one, but one did not. The Banshee remained. "Serene..."

"Iriana..." Serene said quietly as she stepped close to the Healer. "I want to be selfish. I want to hold you tight and keep you from harm. I know Sara feels the same." She bowed her head. "But it wouldn't be right. I..." She swallowed hard.

Both stilled as a robed form appeared nearby. Both knew the newcomer.

"Iriana..." Janet said quietly. "You _can't_ go in person. If you do, you won't _ever_ get free. The Board, the Clergy... it doesn't matter. _Every_ vision I have looked at says the same. If you go... You will _die_ and so will _Mishka_. The Warriors may or may not go after the Corpus after. Mostly... they would, and to hell with the consequences." Iriana wilted a bit and Janet nodded. "I am sorry. But you can't go."

"I..." Iriana staggered but caught herself. "She is my daughter, Janet. No matter the cost, even if it won't help. I have to be there. I have to help her."

"I know." Janet said with a smile that was gentle. "Which is why I think I may have found a way for you to do just that. _Without_ going in person."

"Oh?" Serene and Iriana both chorused and eyed each other warily.

"Yeah." Janet said with a nod. "But... it _will_ take both of you and..." She winced. "I am afraid I am going to have to ask your Cyberlancer friend to talk to Cephalon Suda for me, Serene. If that Cephalon gets access to the Oracles... It won't end well."

"You know how he feels about Cephalon Suda..." Serene said dubiously. Janet nodded. "And... you ask... _why_?" But Iriana was staring at the Oracle, wide eyed. Janet smiled at her.

"No _way_..." Iriana said, stunned. "If they... find out..."

"If it is damaged or captured or whatever, it self-destructs and you are back in your body." Janet agreed. "And the Board get nothing." Iriana gave a cry of joy but Janet held up a hand. "You will be alone, Iriana. You and anyone who goes with you. No weapons. No warframes. No powers except whatever we might be able to build in. Nothing more."

"Any chance I can take." Iriana said fiercely. "I am no good to the hospital as I am right now. They...gave me a leave of absence. Pat and the others can handle almost anything and... they can shift any truly bad cases to... other facilities." Even here, she would not betray Avalon.

"I will not lie to you, Iriana." Janet said quietly. "There _is_ danger. A great deal of it. But this may allow us to salvage our original plan. The Clergy are _not_ our friends. They may be allies, but they have their own agenda. If my husband or daughter discover who and _what_ you are... they _will_ turn you in." That admission... hurt the Oracle. It was obvious to both other women.

"Mishka needs me." Iriana said softly.

"I think they _all_ do." Janet said with a sigh. "And Serene?"

"I'm in." Serene said with a shrug. "Now... what do you need from the Cephalon?"

"Schematics for the CPUs of Orokin mechs of the types used in towers." Janet said slowly. Then she paused as Iriana swallowed hard. "Iriana..." She said slowly.

"That won't work." Iriana said slowly. "I mean... an Orokin mech is fairly distinctive."

"You won't _be_ in an Orokin mech." Janet said quietly. "Only the CPU will be Orokin in design and we can camouflage that from all but a direct visual examination."

"What?" Serene snapped. "Make _sense_!"

"Serene." Iriana said quietly. "What are the mechs at the Mercury tower? _Who_ are they?" Serene stared at her. The Orokin mechs at the last operational Orokin tower outside of Avalon were robot forms holding the memory patterns of...

"No!" Serene screamed, grabbing Iriana and pulling her away from the Oracle. "That will _kill_ you!"

"No." Iriana said quietly. "The transfer doesn't _have_ to be fatal. Those who did it were near the end of their lives and wanted to keep serving. It wasn't the _transfer_ that killed them. Serene, they need _help_. Mishka is not _human_. They won't know _how_ to treat her."

"I won't let you go!" Serene snapped. "Besides! How would you get into a _Corpus_...?" She broke off as another form appeared beside the odd trio. The small girl was transparent, but her face was calm. "No... No! Sheila, _No!_"

"Mom." Sheila said softly. "_We_ can't help Mishka. Healer Iriana _can_. I will protect her. I _swear_ it. My C&C protocols are online. I control the security. I can do it, protect her."

"No..." Serene begged, her tone suddenly small and afraid. "Iriana... don't... leave me."

"_You_ don't need me right now, Serene." Iriana said, hugging her sister gently.

"Mishka _does_."


	13. Chapter 13

**Medical support**

She didn't feel any different. She knew she should, but she did not. It was... Yes, odd was probably the best word for it. Her two legs clanged against the deck as she moved, aware of so many things around her.

_Next left, then three doors down to where you meet your contact._ Sheila's voice came over the link in her head. It felt... right. But she knew it was wrong. _Don't fight it, Healer._ The girl said quietly. _The body knows what to do. Just let it do what it must. You will see your daughter._

Ordinarily, the scenes that she saw would have been terrifying. Indeed, she _was_ frightened. But no one paid her any heed. The many, many MOAs, Ospreys and Corpus troops that were milling around the area were not interested in another MOA. To all appearances and most sensors, the form she wore was a standard MOA.

_I feel... strange._ Iriana said silently. _It... doesn't feel wrong. Shouldn't it?_

_Healer..._ Sheila's voice was gently chiding. _You are asking the **wrong **person. I have always been this way._ That door. A holographic trace appeared in her vision and Iriana moved to the door indicated.

The door hissed open in front of Iriana's form and she would have paused. But the body did not. The room was dark, but the MOA walked right in.

"MOA 8763813-A-JIR ready for transport." The voice of the machine sounded and Iriana fought back a mental quaver as the world lit up around her. A Corpus crewman was aiming a weapon at her. "Code." The machine stated.

"Nirrep." The man said quietly and the MOA stepped forward. "Countersign?"

"Feeling numbs the profit." The machine replied and the man lowered his rifle.

"Okay." The man said with a sigh. "This portal code is only good for one transfer. Wait ten minutes, then activate. Readback."

"One activation only. Wait ten minutes and activate." The machine responded.

"Good. Fracking bunch of crazies. All of them. Clergy and Perrin alike..." The Crewman said sourly as he started for the door. "Maybe now the debts are paid, they will leave me _alone_." Then he was gone.

_I doubt it._ Sheila's voice was snide inside Iriana's head. _He likes to gamble and has expensive tastes._

_Is he likely to betray us?_ Iriana asked, worried.

_No._ Sheila reassured her._ Security knows he is a double agent for the Clergy. They let him do that, it keep them happy. Especially since they think that MOA is filled to the brim with top secret eavesdropping equipment to spy on the Clergy review. Artful innocence sounded in her voice. I have **no** idea how they might have gotten that idea..._

_Whose side are you on, Sheila?_ Iriana asked quietly. Shelia made a noise of sadness and Iriana sighed. _Can I trust you?_

_I want to say yes._ Sheila said quietly. _I want to help Mishka. But... I really don't know if they put deep seated commands in my subconscious. They would. I know they would if they felt they needed to. The Reverend Mother has not survived as long as she has by being nice. Being kind and gentle is a control technique as surely as chains and neural whips would be. If far easier on the ones being controlled._

_At least you are honest about it._ Iriana said quietly. _What will happen when I portal in?_

_An alarm will sound._ Sheila said with a mental sigh. _There is no way to portal in without being detected. So... You come to the main nexus hub. We tell the truth as much as we can. You are a specialized medical MOA with a personality. I asked for your help. Mishka needs your help. Scans of the MOA will show nothing out of the ordinary. But you will be able to talk. If they try to dismantle it..._

_It self destructs and I wake up with a hell of a headache._ Iriana said with a sigh. _Sheila, we have a few minutes. I need to ask you something. Have you had any problems?_

_Me_? Sheila asked, curious. _No, not that I know of. A few glitches. But they really revamped my chassis after they got me back here. Why?_

_The second generation of the C&C MOA had some... problems._ Iriana said delicately. _The brains that were put in were not __**just**__ brains and the bodies grew inside the shells. The nerves... disconnected over time. It was... bad._

_Oh._ Sheila made a disgusted noise. _Yeah, I guess it would be bad. Yuck. No. Nothing like that. A few... tremors occasionally. A couple of nightmares, subconscious images pulled into focus during my downtime. But nothing else._ She sighed._ Okay, time. I have no idea how your mind will react to the transfer. So um..._

_If I come out gibbering and frothing at the mouth, it isn't your fault._ Iriana said with a snort and Sheila actually laughed. Then the world lit up golden.

When Iriana could see again, she was standing on a platform in the middle of another Corpus facility. Four MOAs and two guard with heavy weapons were all aiming at her as well as at least three turrets she could see. The MOA's sensors picked up other weapons targeting her. She took a deep breath, or...whatever and spoke.

"My name is Iriana. I am here to help."

**A fairly tense ten minutes later**

"_This_... I did not expect..." Iriana knew the voice. She had only heard it once, but _no one_ who met the Reverend Mother of the Corpus Clergy forgot her unless she wanted them to. "You picked a hell of a time to...drop by."

"I did not pick the time, Reverend Mother." Iriana replied calmly. It was hard. A dozen weapons were aimed at the MOA form she inhabited. The guards had _not_ been pleased with the fact that she had appeared. They had been less pleased with the fact that she wasn't acting like a MOA. The _less_ said about the fact that they couldn't find a _reason_ for her to be talking from the MOA, the better... "And medical emergencies are rarely convenient, no?"

"Good point." The old woman in the nun's habit shook her head. "I find it... very hard to believe that you would take this risk. Especially now. We are being reviewed."

"She is my daughter." Iriana replied.

"I wish I could believe that." The old human woman replied. "But we just had a MOA that was programmed to attack one of our people appear. Now... this..." She waved a hand at the form Iriana inhabited. "This... somewhat strains the limits of credibility, no?"

"Who was it that said 'Truth is stranger than fiction'?" Iriana countered. "Because stories have to make sense to the reader. Life? Not so much."

"The quote goes '_ Truth is stranger than fiction_, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn't.'." The old nun said with a laugh. "And it was someone named Mark Twain. No idea who he was. But his writing usually made sense. If... strange sense occasionally. His... grammar was odd and some of his dialect was...difficult to fathom."

"You were a reader?" Iriana asked.

"Scholar, historian..." The Reverend Mother replied with a shrug. "In my youth. Mainly focused on religious works, but... I read anything I could find. I had lots of time to think. Now? Not so much. What do I do with you?"

"Whatever you want." Iriana replied. The old woman stared at her. "But I warn you, this form is equipped with several advanced self destruct systems. If your people attempt to disassemble it, it will go boom. Not large." She qualified as the old woman looked at the MOA. "But sufficient to render it unsalvageable. I trust you as far as you trust me." She said dryly.

"Not at all." The Reverend Mother said quietly. "But... one thing. If you truly _are_ Healer Iriana, what is your pet name for your daughter?" Iriana hissed. "I had no choice." The old woman stated. "She appeared on our lawn, unconscious and _bleeding_. A perfect setup. Not that she _was_. But we _couldn't_ know that."

"And of course all the information you got from her mind is just a _fringe benefit_." Iriana snapped. "I suppose I should be glad you didn't just flay her mind for the information inside."

"Many might have." The Reverend Mother replied without heat. "I don't expect forgiveness for what I did. It was needed and she did not suffer. She has not suffered. Not... until this..." She looked away. "Please. Her pet name?"

"Mishkling." Iriana said savagely. The old woman stared at the MOA and then slumped a bit. "Well?" Iriana snapped. "If you are going to dismantle this MOA, then do it."

"I am sorry, Healer." The old nun's words rocked Iriana to her core. "I really thought we could protect her. I had a daughter once. I lost her. If I can keep you from that pain... I don't care who or _what_ you are... Or _what_ it costs, I _will_."

"Words are cheap." Iriana replied.

"Indeed." The Reverend Mother made a motion and the guard all lowered the weapons and _left the room_. Only after they were gone did the old nun speak and when she did, it was _angry_. "What the _hell_ are _you_ doing here? _Now_? Are you _**insane**_?" She demanded.

"That is debatable." Iriana replied. "But... a mutual acquaintance said we might be able to help one another. And Mishka _will_ need me. I need to see her."

"You..." The old woman slumped, for a moment looking her true age of hundreds of years. Then she sighed and straightened. "Okay... at least that is a medical MOA. But there is no way we will keep this quiet. Not a chance. Not with so many eyes seeing you arrive."

"I know." Iriana agreed. "I wasn't so sure of that part of the plan, but... Tell me something. If you want to hide something, somewhere _no one_ will find it, where _would_ you?" The Reverend Mother stared at her and Iriana chuckled. "Where did you hide _Mishka_?"

"In plain sight..." The old woman said slowly, then her eyes lit up and she smiled. It was both grim _and_ humorous. "Oh _**Janet**_..." She shook her head. "Okay. We have an... odd medic who just arrived."

"That works. One thing... Is _Mercedes_ okay?" Iriana asked. "She was...stressed."

"Yes she was. Is." The Reverend Mother said sadly. "She is asleep right now. She... really feels for your daughter. Her emotions have been all messed up, due to her condition and what her life partner did."

"I know." Iriana agreed. "So... what now? I am here to help. Not just Mishka if you allow it." The Reverend Mother stared at her and Iriana chuckled softly. "It is what I do."

"Okay." The clergywoman took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "The reviewers are very confused by Mishka. That poison is not supposed to be survivable. The scan we did allowed us to counter it, but..." She shook her head. "They keep trying to get hold of a sample of her DNA."

"That won't help them." Iriana replied. "Her DNA is human."

"I know." The Reverend Mother agreed. "But if they cannot determine why she was so resistant, they will poke deeper. Right now, they are focused on getting the sample. If they start thinking more..."

"...they may stumble onto the truth by accident." Iriana finished the comment. "And then all hell breaks loose."

"Yeah." The old nun said sourly. "That is a pretty accurate summation. Let's go."

"The soldiers?" Iriana asked as she followed the nun from the room.

"Special Forces." The Reverend Mother said quietly. "They don't talk. We... pulled a bunch of them in when our security was breached. Commander Horatius was more than a little upset. He likes Mishka too. We all do."

"You can't keep her here." Iriana said quietly as they walked.

"I know." The Reverend Mother said sadly. "Which is a pity. I like her. We all do. But... as was just shown, it is too dangerous. We have too many enemies who will stop at nothing to destroy us. She is a kid, not involved in our squabbles except peripherally. But that involvement nearly cost her life."

"My focus is my daughter." Iriana said quietly. "But... I will help as I can. I will not divulge any information, but healing is what I do. Do you have injured or sick?"

"A few." The Reverend Mother said with a sigh. "Most of the injured were Red Veil who were... handed to us by someone who I am pretty sure was not a Tenno although he wore a warframe."

"Red and black?" Iriana asked and the old nun nodded. "That is...the second time he has intervened on Mishka's behalf..." Iriana mused. "Odd. He is..._not_ a benevolent soul."

"Got that." The Reverend Mother said sourly. "He tore through them like a knife through butter. Left them alive for us." She shook her head. "Some kind of plan?"

"Almost certainly." Iriana said with a sigh. "But as to what? I don't know. He plays his own game. We are pretty sure he is driven by a need for vengeance, but against who or why? We don't know."

"A vengeance crazed _Tenno_..." The Reverend Mother shuddered. "_Just_ what we needed." Her tone was sour as she led the mech into another building. "Our medical center."

Iriana glanced around, but it was standard. White walls to show up discoloration, medical gear ready for use but out of the way. Wide corridors for easy transport of patients. Everything was Corpus in design, but... gentler. Ergonomic and efficient as always, but... softer. The nurse's station that sat at one intersection looked so normal to Iriana's mind that she half expected to see Pat sitting there working on paperwork. Instead, a male nurse was working on a terminal. No! Not a male _nurse!_

"Zacharias?" The Reverend Mother asked. "Status?"

"No change, Reverend Mother. "The man in scrubs said quietly. "She is hanging in there." He looked curiously at the MOA. "Who sent the MOA?" He paused as the Reverend Mother laughed. There was precious little humor in it.

"She sent _herself_." The Clergywoman said sourly. "I think you met her."

"We met." Iriana said quietly. Zacharias stared at her and slowly paled. "It...wasn't the best of circumstances, but I am glad you are feeling better."

"_You_..." The man shook his head, dumbfounded. "Are you _insane?_"

"Probably." Iriana replied. "But Mishka needs help. From what I understand, the neurotoxin is a three base antagonist that acts directly on the neurons?"

"Yes." Zacharias swallowed hard and shook his head. "We had...full bio scans, we were looking for allergies. Thank god we _did_." He shook his head. "I... I don't always agree with what we have to do. But it seemed the lesser of two evils."

"I am not here to debate the past." Iriana said firmly. "What was done, was done. I won't pretend not to be angry, because I am. But Mishka is the important one here. You know what will happen if she dies."

"You will stop holding them back." Zacharias said with a nod. "I don't remember much. But you were a bright light in my darkness."

"I won't be _able_ to hold them back anymore. They will roll right over me. As for a light? It is what I do." Iriana said quietly. "Some people fight. Some people build. I heal." She made a noise of worry. "And I need to know. How far past the barrier did the toxin get?" Zacharias stiffened and the Reverend Mother froze. "You didn't tell her, did you?" Iriana asked quietly.

"Tell me what?" The Reverend Mother demanded. Zacharias slumped in place."Tell me _what?_" She snapped, getting angry.

"Neurotoxins work by blocking or destroying neurons." Iriana said softly. "Most toxins have a great deal of difficulty passing into the brain. A barrier of sorts is in place. We call it the 'Blood-Brain Barrier'. Not very original, but apt."

"And?" The nun demanded of Zacharias who seemed to shrink.

"There is damage." Zacharias said with a wince as the Reverend Mother growled. "We don't _know_ how bad! With her... comatose, we can't _tell_ how bad it is. The scans are... inconclusive."

"Which is why you need me." Iriana said softly. "I know her scans inside and out. I have seen them all of her life. And if worst... comes to worst... _I_ am her next of kin. If _I_ do it... They won't blame you."

"No..." It may have been the first time in _centuries_ that the Reverend Mother looked as if she was going to _faint_. "You... you _can't_..."

"You think I _want_ to?" Iriana snapped. "She is my _daughter_! My _flesh and blood_. I borne her into the world! _No! I do not want to kill her!_ But...if it is the only to ease her pain... I will." She gave a sigh. "That is why I am here. That is my job. I _repair_ when I can, _heal_ when I can. _Ease_ when I _must_." Both the Reverend Mother and Zacharias looked horrified. Iriana just sighed again. "It may not come to that. I need to see her and the scans. Then... if it doesn't come to that. I won't be able to stay. I can't maintain this link forever. It gets steadily more unpleasant as time passes."

"You...came here... to..." The Reverend Mother was actually stammering.

"Um... Excuse me?" Iriana turned the MOA body to see a Corpus man she did not know. He wore executive garb.

"Executive Jules..." The Reverend Mother was obviously trying not to groan. "Your timing is... as _wonderful_ as always." Her sarcasm might have cut steel.

"Why are you _talking_ to a MOA?" The man asked, his face concerned. No... it wasn't concern. It was anticipation!

"Because I am _not_ a MOA." Iriana snapped. The man went still and she laughed. "Go ahead, push your master's policy. Go do whatever plots you think you can get away with, but I give _one_ word of advice, Executive. Leave Mishka _alone_. You will _not_ like what happens if you hurt her again. You won't get what you want from her DNA, it's a polyglot of a number of beings. Just like mine." The Reverend Mother stared from the man to the MOA and back and she... smiled a little.

"How the _hell_...?" The man paled.

"Mishka's strength came from her compassion and her willingness to help others." Iriana said sadly. "_Not_ her DNA. Touch her again and you will _pray_ for death and I will _not_ let it take you."

"Who _are_ you?" Jules demanded as he retreated a step.

"Me?" Iriana asked coldly. "I am a Healer. But I _do_ know how to cut. And Mishka is my _daughter_."

"You _might_ want to leave now, Jules." The Reverend Mother said quietly. "_Before_ she gets _upset_." The man actually bolted and she shook her head with a rueful smile. "And here I thought your _sister_ was the scary one."

"What can I say?" Iriana said with a snort. "You pick up things hanging around people." Then she sighed yet again. Deeper, sorrowful.

"Now... Mishka..."


	14. Chapter 14

**Repercussions**

She... was calm. She had seen far too many ICUs in her life, from both sides. She knew every sensor, every screen. She knew what they were saying to her. But the face that was nestled in the pillow was not _just_ a patient. No. The Corpus Clergy were very good at what they did. Mishka was in no pain and was resting comfortably. As comfortably as one _could_ after such an injury.

But Iriana could read the scans as well as she could read a page printed in the Tenno alphabet. She could see where the toxin had entered Mishka's leg. The damage there was catastrophic. It had entered the girl's bloodstream and been transported all over her leg by the artery that the dart had penetrated. The neurons there... were gone. The flesh was still there and intact, but... the nerves would not function and without them, the body would not be able to keep the flesh healthy.

The only good news was that the docs here had stopped the toxin before it had reached Mishka's heart. That _would_ have killed her. The bad news? The damage was extensive. The blood had carried the poison down Mishka's leg and then up via a vein. The leg was going to need some _serious_ help if it could be saved at all. But it was the _rest_ of the damage that frankly worried Iriana. The toxin had not flowed evenly through her daughter's body. Most of it had gone into the bloodstream, but bits and pieces had apparently touched the nervous system, and being what it was, had traveled across the synaptic bridges almost as fast as actual nerve impulses. It had accessed her spine. The damage to _that_...

"Healer?" The worried voice that sounded close at hand yanked Iriana out of her consideration of the scans. Mercedes looked like hell. She hadn't slept much. But she _had_ slept, which Iriana found to be a good thing. She found she liked this woman. Which was both bad and good. Bad in that Mercedes was both Corpus and Clergy. She was _not_ a Tenno or an ally of the Tenno and thus could not be trusted entirely. Good... for Mishka. The girl would need help.

"Your docs do good work." Iriana said quietly, turning her MOA body to face Mercedes. "She is alive. But..." She felt the body she was ensconced in wilt a bit as it responded to her mental touch.

"How bad?" Mercedes said quietly.

"Not as bad as it could have been." Iriana said heavily. "But bad. Her leg is probably a total loss. We are looking at amputation and possibly regeneration. But... With the nerve damage as bad as it is... regen may not take." Mercedes made a noise of pain and fear and Iriana agreed. Only decades of training and work in hospitals allowed Iriana to talk so clinically about her daughter... being maimed.

"She... loves to run..." Mercedes said weakly.

"I know. If we can get her... home..." Iriana said carefully. "I might be able to do something. Maybe. I don't know. But as she is right now... She is paralyzed from the neck down."

"_No_." Mercedes breathed in horror, her hand reaching out to clutch Mishka's. She froze. "I..."

"Go ahead. I can't touch her." Iriana said sadly. "She will need you. When she wakes, she will be _terrified_. The damage to her brain..." She swallowed. "Again, it isn't as bad as it _could_ have been. Your docs must have worked fast."

"Desperation is a hell of an incentive." The Reverend Mother said quietly from where she stood by one wall. "I didn't tell anyone who she was. _What_ she was. But they picked up on my fear for her. For us."

"She is not going to die." Iriana said softly. "The good news is... she won't be in pain. The nerves affected...are dead. No stimulus. But she will be very confused."

"How... bad...?" Mercedes repeated softly.

"I don't know." Iriana admitted. "Your med scanners are not sensitive enough to read memory clusters. But... Her long term memory took a hit." Mercedes gasped in fear and Iriana made a noise of agreement. "I know. She could have just forgotten what I gave her for her ninth birthday or..." She couldn't say it. She couldn't.

"Healer..." Mercedes said softly. "Worst case? How bad?"

"Bad. Worst case? She may not remember _anything_." Iriana said sadly. She wanted to cry, but this body could not. "The toxin had difficulty breaching the brain barrier, but...where it _did_..." She jerked as a human hand touched the housing of the MOA. She turned her sensors to Mercedes who looked ashen, but her face was firming. "Mercedes?"

"How long can you stay?" Mercedes asked quietly. Iriana stared at her.

"A bit." Iriana was feeling the promised fatigue now. It wasn't -quite- that. But it was the same feeling. A lethargy. Sheila and Janet had promised that she wouldn't take harm. As soon as it passed a certain level, she would return to her own body. "Why?"

"I have a duty to the Company..." Mercedes said quietly, her free hand touching her abdomen. "But I also have a duty to _her_."

"Mercedes..." The Reverend Mother warned.

"I am not going to do anything dumb, Reverend Mother." Mercedes said quietly. "But we cannot just portal Mishka back where she belongs. Not with as much scrutiny as is on us at the moment."

"No." The Reverend Mother looked as if she wanted to spit. Then she sighed. "Too many people trying to find ways to hurt us at the moment. Not just the reviewers. We are under a great deal of surveillance. They will track any portals. Especially unexplained ones." Iriana looked from one to the other, but remained silent. "Mercedes... _think_..."

"I am." Mercedes said quietly. "And... I will make it formal if I must." Iriana went still as the Reverend Mother hissed.

"What am I missing?" Iriana asked quietly.

"_Any_... employee, if they be of sound body and mind..." The Reverend Mother said slowly as if reciting. Her eyes were closed and her face was pale. "may... at once company's approval had been given, have a child made of their body or adopted if such are available. To raise and nurture as their own." Iriana made a confused noise and the old nun swallowed. "_One_ child. She... Mercedes... You won't be _allowed_ to have _another_ if you adopt Mishka! The _only_ exception is when a parent's child dies! Mercedes..."

"Mercedes..." Iriana breathed, horrified. "She _can't_ stay here. She _can't._"

"I know." Mercedes said softly. "But what is more important? My own selfish desires or her _life_? If she is my daughter by the Company's rules, then I can ward her for as long as she is here. Tend her, care for her. Send her one when she is strong enough."

"Mercedes!" The Reverend Mother protested. "You... you and Vina wanted a little girl! If you adopt, you throw that away!"

"_Vina_ wanted a little girl." Mercedes said with a sigh. "Me? I am happy as I am. Boy or girl would make little difference to me. I would do it for Mishka. She is a good kid."

"I... No." Iriana said firmly."Do not throw away your future. I honor you for the thought, Mercedes. But no." Mercedes looked rebellious, but Iriana was having none of it. "Mercedes... do you have _any_ idea how _Mishka_ would react?" Her tone was wicked now and Mercedes blanched. "You know what she would do." It wouldn't be pretty.

"I..." Mercedes chuckled. It was wet, but a chuckle. "You fight _dirty_, Healer." She complained.

"Well, duh." Iriana snorted. "I fight to win." Both she and the Reverend Mother snickered at Mercedes' expression. All of them needed the humor. The Healer gave herself a mental shake. "She will not wake for a day or so. There are... some things you can do to help. Nothing classified, but...most have forgotten." The Reverend Mother looked skeptical and Iriana scoffed. "I will not be violating any secrets. I cannot give you any technology. Even if it wouldn't cause problems, I couldn't. I don't have the _means_ to do so. You likely have records of the techniques I am thinking of, but _they_ are probably buried in an archive somewhere."

"Along with everything _else_." The Reverend Mother said with a snort.

"What can we do?" Mercedes asked softly.

"She needs to be able to talk when she wakes." Iriana said heavily. "She will be scared out of her mind anyway, not being able to move. She will be very confused. But... I think I can set it up so she can talk even if the speech center is as badly damaged as I think it is." Both the Reverend Mother and Mercedes swallowed at that, but Iriana wasn't done. "It will be jury rigged, clunky. But workable." She turned the MOA so it faced both other woman. "But the most important thing is _this_. She will not be able to _move_. She will not be able to talk except with the machine. Do _not_ leave her alone. If she is given the chance... She will go mad. Isolation is never a good thing. To be trapped in your own body...unable to move, or talk, or interact..." She swallowed hard.

"A fate worse than death." The Reverend Mother said softly. Mercedes paled but nodded, silent. "What do you need?"

"I have everything I need." The Tenno healer inside the MOA said quietly. "Now, I just need time." Both human females went still as the machine unfolded and parts of it bent down toward the still girl's head. "It... won't be pretty, but it is mostly Corpus tech."

"Will it hurt her?" Mercedes obviously hadn't wanted to ask that but she did anyway.

"I will have to bypass several of the normal connections." Iriana said softly. "Short answer? Yes. But the discomfort should be minimal and the ability to talk will almost certainly far outweigh the pain. It won't take long." Indeed, the machinery was moving quickly over the girl's jaw and throat. Neither of them saw a small appendage place a tiny, fleshy worm like thing beside Mishak's ear. It vanished into the open orifice and was gone.

"I don't like the thought of her in pain." Mercedes said weakly. "But... I am not her mother."

"No." Iriana said as the MOA retreated a step. A boxy machine now sat on Mishka's neck. "This will allow her to speak, if not as easily as she could before." She turned to Mercedes and moved to stand by the woman, a scanner wand coming out. "Now for you."

"Um..." Mercedes didn't move as the wand ran down her body and back up.

"You are tired all the time and get upset easier." Iriana said quietly. Mercedes stiffened and the Reverend Mother looked from one to the other. "It is not you." Mercedes shook her head savagely and Iriana sighed. "The female human body is not meant to have as many children as quickly as you are. It is not _you_, Mercedes. Your body is _confused_."

"Stands to reason." Mercedes said weakly. "_I _am confused too. It... it is needed... But..."

"I am not going to argue choices of reproduction with you." Iriana said quietly. "But I _can_ help. Will you let me? She will need you at your peak. This... will not be easy. For her _or_ for you."

"I..." Mercedes swallowed hard. "Reverend Mother?" She asked the nun who pursed her lips.

"What is wrong with her?" The ancient Clergywoman asked quietly.

"There is nothing _wrong_." Iriana said with a sigh. "But she has not been sleeping enough. She has been stressed and she has indulged in intercourse a bit much." Mercedes jerked and Iriana made a noise of comfort. "It's okay, girl. Most women who might be caught up in your situation as I understand it might have... difficulty in figuring out when to stop. But you can and _will_ hurt yourself if you keep doing it. The human body was _not_ designed to _do it_ twenty four hours a day, seven days a week." Mercedes went pink at that and the Reverend Mother put a hand up to her face, covering a smile with a totally unconvincing cough.

"Horatius has... said I had to stop..." Mercedes said softly, worried. "He... he was worried I might... hurt myself."

"You haven't done permanent damage yet." Iriana said gently. "But there _is_ bruising. I bet the doctors will notice the next time you go in."

"_Mercedes_..." The Reverend Mother said repressively. "I _told_ you..."

"I hadn't _seen_ him in _weeks_!" Mercedes snapped right back. "And there is a _war_ on. Yes, he is good. He is not _immortal_! I missed him, all right?"

"I understand." Iriana said gently. Mercedes spun back to look at the MOA housing the Tenno healer with an odd look on her face. "I... thought I loved Mishka's father. I really did. Then he was gone." She sighed. "Mercedes, you _have_ to be more careful. With everything that I have heard of him, Horatius will not let you come to harm. He didn't do what you wanted the last time you asked, did he?"

"No." Mercedes said, eyes downcast. "He just... held me until I fell asleep."

"Good man." Iriana's tone was whisper soft now. "I can help. Will you let me? For Mishka but also...for you? I think... I like you. I can see why Lis did."

"Lis gave me a gift beyond measure and let me be a real woman again." Mercedes said with a wince. That wince turned into a jerk as both the Reverend Mother and Iriana snarled at her. "What?" She asked, confused.

"You were _always_ a real woman." The old nun said sharply. "Stop talking yourself down!"

"I..." Mercedes swallowed hard, turning to the MOA, but Iriana was having none of it.

"I _never_ thought I would agree with a Corpus Clergywoman, but she is right." Iriana said with a chuckle that the Reverend Mother shared. "Mercedes, you are very brave and strong willed. But this is going to take _every_ ounce of self control you have. Mishka needs you. She will need you here. I _can't_ be here for her. You _can_."

"What do you need me to do?" Mercedes asked softly. Iriana just looked at her and Mercedes flushed again. "I am not stupid. I knew I was... off. Horatius turning me down was another hint." A mutter from the Reverend Mother about something called a 'clue by four' was ignored by both of the others. "I wanted kids. I want Horatius' child. But I do not want to hurt myself in doing it. If I did... it would hurt both him and Vina." She slumped. "Vina..."

"I don't know the future." Iriana said softly as she stepped closer to Mercedes. "But I can help here and now. Sit back, let me work. I will have to go soon, but... I know Mishka is in good hands." Mercedes sat back and Iriana started working.

"Do you have to?" Mercedes asked with a sigh. "I... think I might like you."

"Well... yeah." Iriana said sourly. "Your reviewers are going to get a bit more than they bargain for when they try to review _this_ chassis." Mercedes stared at the MOA and then sighed deeply and relaxed as Iriana did something. "Better?" Iriana asked.

"Yes." Mercedes said weakly. "What did you do?" Her eyes were closing slowly.

"I adjusted your electrolytes a little bit." Iriana said as she stepped back. "And I have tended the bruising. But no intercourse for a day or two, okay?"

"Doctors orders. Yes, Ma'am..." Mercedes said, her eyes now closed. "I..."

"Rest. Here is the data on what will have to be done. Most of it isn't pretty." Iriana had her MOA body lay a datapad on Mercedes' lap and then glanced at the Reverend Mother. The old nun nodded. She led the way from the room, past the two guards who saluted her. "I do have one request, although it is not for me. It is for...a friend."

"Oh?" The Reverend Mother asked cautiously.

"It's about the Red Veil. I assume you drained them thoroughly of intel." Iriana said dryly. The old nun did not comment and Iriana snorted without humor. "Figured. Just... if you don't need them... A friend wants to send a message to their leadership about targets that are off limits. She wants to add your breeding colony to that list. I don't think you would mind. Would you?"

"Why would your friend care about such?" The Reverend Mother asked. "I mean.. an attack on us destabilizes us. A gain for anyone who opposes the Corpus."

"Ah, it is not so much the attack on _you_." Iriana said with a sigh. "They stepped over a few lines and some people took offense." She glanced at the nun. "Nikis is one of those people." The Reverend Mother froze in midstep. "Yeah."

"I see..." The nun said quietly. "So... what would they want?"

"Nothing much." Iriana said with sigh as she saw the Executive from before stalking towards them with a group of others. "Just the prisoners, whatever is left of them."

"There isn't _much_ left." The nun sighed as she saw Executive Jules stepping close. "I will see what I can do. Now?"

"Now. I hope to see you again." Iriana said with snort. "Never thought I would see the day I said that, but... You did my daughter a service." She stopped and the Reverend Mother did as well. "Better step back."

"That MOA is to be reviewed!" Executive Jules said triumphantly. "It is obviously some kind of Clergy..." He paused as Iriana _laughed_. "What?" he demanded.

"You really think the _Clergy_ had anything to do with this?" Iriana's tone was sarcasm and condescension made manifest and the Executive flushed angrily. "_Whatever_. Still, heed my advice. Leave my daughter _alone_. Or it will cost you more than you can _imagine_."

"Whatever you are, we will..." He paused as the Reverend Mother stepped back, turned her head and covered her ears. "Wh-?"

Iriana was chortling as she keyed for a recall.

* * *

><p>The stunned Executive lay on his butt where he had fallen, staring at the hole in the grass where a MOA had so recently stood. Before it had <em><strong>exploded<strong>_.

"You _might_ want to take her advice." The Reverend Mother was stone faced as she turned to go. She had a lot of work to do. But inside, she was smiling.

_I may not be able to trust her... _ She thought as she ordered a set of scans on both Mishka and Mercedes. _But_ _I __**like**__ that healer..._


	15. Chapter 15

**Vengeance?**

"Who... who was that?" Jules demanded, his voice a bit louder than usual. Then again, he _had_ been reaching for the MOA with some kind of override device when it had gone boom. None of the other reviewers had followed the Reverend Mother. All had seemed a bit shell shocked by the MOA simply self destructing.

"I don't know." The Reverend mother said calmly as she moved to an elevator. The idiot followed her. "She said her name was Iriana and she was a Healer. She sure acted as one." She eyed the irate Executive. "And I have no doubt that she _was_ Mishka's mother. Is." She qualified. "She won't have extinguished herself to make a point. She is not the type. She had a way out in case we didn't believe her. In case _someone_ was stupid enough to try and dismantle the MOA." The irony in her tone was dry, but biting.

"That doesn't make sense!" Jules snapped. "It was a MOA!"

"So is Sheila." The old nun retorted. "You have reviewed her, no?" Jules... froze.

"You are not saying there is _another_..." The Executive swallowed.

"No." The Reverend Mother said calmly. "All of the C&C MOA prototypes are accounted for. Lost or destroyed, they are accounted for."

"CCX-2 is not." Jules pressed.

"CCX-2 was destroyed after the MOA production facility was obliterated." The Reverend Mother said with a sigh. "You read the report. I know you did. She bonded with the Tenno agent responsible and both were killed."

"There was no corroboration." Jules retorted.

"Yes there _was_." The Reverend Mother snapped. "You just don't _accept_ it since it came from sources that also told everyone your patron was stark raving _mad_."

"You overstepped your bounds, more than once." Jules retorted.

"I have." The Reverend Mother agreed. "Trying to keep fools like Charliz and Sein -and _Bek!_- from costing us all. Trying to keep the Ancient Enemy..." At that, Jules recoiled a little. "...from killing us all. _My bad_." Her sarcasm had a knob that turned well past ten it seemed. "After all, _profit_ is all that matters. Who _cares_ if we are _alive_ to enjoy it, hmm?" She shook her head. "After what happened to your own son... I would think you would support us. But no. Your patron _owns_ you, body and soul. It wasn't your fault or ours, but you still blame us for the backlash that cost you."

"What happened to my son is not germane here." Jules said savagely. "And you are evading my questions. I am within my rights to demand a full scan of you."

"Yes." The Reverend Mother agreed, leaving the Executive to stare at her, jaw agape. "Yes, you are. Do you have the _two years_ it would take to review each and every one of my actions since the _last_ review?" She smiled coldly. "I could use the downtime actually. It has been..." She paused and sighed. "..._decades_ since my last vacation. You?"

"You will be reviewed." Jules declared stoutly.

"I know." The Reverend Mother said with a sigh. "Your patron has demanded it, no matter the cost." She shook her head. "But not today. Today... I need a _somewhat_ neutral observer." She keyed the hatch in front of them and it opened to a series of weapons aimed at the, Jules froze, but the old nun just shook her head. "Stand down." She commanded.

"This is the detention area..." Jules said slowly, not daring to move as the _six_ Special Forces soldiers on guard lowered their weapons.

"Yeah." The Reverend Mother said dryly. "You came through here first, hoping to find a malcontent. You found poor Harry, sleeping off his drunk. Did you actually _get_ anything from him?" Harry was a good Security troop when sober. He... wasn't sober a lot when off duty. "Or just ribald drinking songs? That is what we usually get when he is drunk and we try to figure out why he did what he did."

"Only that he thought it was a good idea to parade around with _no clothes on_..." Jules said with a wince. The Reverend Mother could understand. Harry...wasn't the best example of a human male physically. It took _work_ to get overweight in the Corpus, but he had managed. "Something about a Catch -44?"

"To do the job, you have to be crazy, but if you are crazy, you can't do the job." The Clergywoman said with a nod. "Yeah. Small wonder he drinks so much." She shrugged. "He is a good troop when sober. Open up." She commanded and the door ahead unlocked. "Is he here? I need to talk to him and Harriet."

"Yes, Ma'am." One of the soldier replied. All were glaring daggers at the Executive.

"Now, now..." The old nun chided. "Not _his_ fault he serves a pile of excrement in human form. Jules is just doing his job and hasn't done anything to any of you." She paused. "Have you?" She asked Jules, a little worried.

"No." Jules sounded upset now and she couldn't really blame him. Enjoy it? Sure. Blame him? No. Having two _hundred_ well trained killing machines in human form simply _appear_ in the middle of a review had to be... nerve wracking. Her heart bled. Not. "They were reviewed by the military. No need to do it twice."

"Probably wise." The old nun said with a nod as she stepped forward. The door hissed open, but this time...there were no screams. The only sounds were muted whimpers. "Sister Harriet?"

The clergywoman who turned from the bank of machinery had no expression on her face. None. "Reverend Mother?"

The younger clergywoman had suffered a lot in her life both before and after she joined the Clergy. But there was no one else as skilled in wringing information out of unwilling mind. Oh, Horatius and others could do it _faster_. But they would likely miss things. Harriet _wouldn't_. The only good thing about her was that she was totally ambivalent. Maybe amoral was closer. She did not do anything simply for the sake of doing it. She could be as compassionate as she could be vicious. She could put minds together as easily as she tore them apart. She had always been a good woman. But now? She was one of the old nun's best tools.

"Status?" The Reverend Mother ignored Jules shrinking away from Harriet. It was hardly uncommon. But she _did_ pity whoever had been forced to review the interrogator. It would _not_ have been pretty. Trying to get Harriet to talk about _anything_ when not on a job was a chore and a half. She... had no reason to and trying to force her, either physically or with drugs, simply wouldn't _work_.

"A cell of six. Four males, two females." Harriet replied in a monotone that the Reverend Mother knew darn well was intended to unnerve the Executive. It worked. "We acquired several locations of supplies and two information drop locations. Only the leader had any contact with any other Red Veil and that was a dead drop." The older nun grimaced and Harriet continued. "We will monitor, but..." She shrugged.

Dead drops were places that intelligence agents would leave information to be collected by others. The method was used by all kinds of unsavory sorts. Spies, terrorists, assassins, even some merchants who went a bit further even than Corpus norms allowed. Depending on the skill of the ones doing it, it could be very easy to observe or track those doing it, or next to impossible. The Reverend Mother bet on the latter. Sloppy spies and terrorists didn't live very long.

"Anything else?" The old nun asked when Harriet did not continue.

"We were the target, but none had a personal grudge against the Clergy. Corpus yes, Clergy no." Harriet said with a nod. "Two were downsized by the Company, another one lost her child due to negligence and was remaindered after a Grineer attack."

"I see." The old nun said soberly. Indeed she did. 'Remaindered' was such a silly word to describe someone who had been left to _die_ when the costs of rescuing someone outweighed the benefits. "Useable?"

"I don't think so. At least not for infiltration." Harriet said with a tiny shrug. "We can program them, sure. Any way we want. But they _have_ to keep records of their people. At least DNA traces even with no other identifiers. One flag and that effort is wasted." A nice euphemism for 'that sleeper agent is dead'. Terrorists had a short way with people trying to infiltrate their organizations.

"Okay." The Reverend Mother said with a grimace. "Is Horatius available?"

"He is almost done." Harriet said, turning back to her machinery. "He was double checking one of my hypothesis."

"Uh..." Jules stammered.

"Don't." The Reverend Mother cautioned him. Harriet was calm, cool and collected. But she was _also_ pretty much a sociopath. If she decided Jules was a liability, he wouldn't know what hit him. "Just... don't."

A door hissed open and Horatius strode into the room. He paused on seeing the Reverend Mother and Jules, but then turned to Harriet. His gloved hands were..._covered_ in awfulness.

"Corroborated." Horatius said in a firm tone. "He didn't know." Jules made an inquiring noise and froze as the soldier's gaze landed on him. "Harriet wanted to know if the girls were targeted specifically or at random."

"I... see..." Jules swallowed hard. "What did you...?"

"Do you really want to review _that_?" The soldier asked calmly. "I can do that. I can tell you piece by piece if you want. Or _he_ can. He is still alive and talking." Jules gulped and shook his head. Horatius sighed in what was apparently genuine regret. "Pity, I have wanted to make one of you _puke_ since I got here."

"Horatius!" The Reverend Mother snapped, but inside she was laughing. The _look_ on the Executive's face... _His_ viciousness was clinical. Numbers, factors, data. _Horatius'_ viciousness was more... visceral. Literally.

"I am not lying." Horatius made an innocent face. It _might_ have gone better if his hands hadn't been dripping. "And it _is_ for the Company. Want to review me _now_? I will give a hearty handshake for your software to analyze." He held out his hands to the Executive who bolted for the door, his face green.

"That was _vicious_, even for you." The Reverend Mother said mildly. Only when the door closed did all three start to laugh. Harriet wasn't a _total_ wackjob, the Reverend Mother had been working with her to help her 'socialize'. It...hadn't worked very well, with one notable exception. The odd hurt woman known as Lis.

"He deserves it." Horatius said with a sigh. "He is pushing. We have fuddled his attempts to get hold of Mishka's DNA too many times. He knows we are hiding something about her."

"I know." The Reverend Mother turned to Harriet. "And... I need an opinion, Harriet. Can you put an personality _under_lay in Mishka's mind?" Horatius froze and the Reverend Mother nodded as Harriet turned to look at her.

"I could." Harriet said quietly. "It depends on how badly her brain is injured. I saw... some." She frowned. "If the memory core is damaged too badly, a personality underlay or overlay won't work. It will simply be fragments."

Personality overlays were fairly easy to detect, they were generally intended as control devices. _Under_lays... were more insidious. The person simply didn't know they were programmed to do something. Needless to say, they were far harder to do undetectably. But Harriet was a virtuoso with such. If it _could_ be done, she could do it.

"Reverend Mother..." Horatius said quietly. "If _they_ find out we programmed her..."

"That is just it." The old nun agreed. "I don't _want_ to program her. I want the underlay to make it _look_ like we did." Harriet frowned in thought but Horatius looked thunderous. "Horatius..." The Reverend Mother pleaded. "The reviewers need something _concrete_ to understand _why_ we have been hiding her. Why we went to such lengths to hide _who_ and _what_ she is. The actual truth doesn't make any _sense_." Horatius nodded, manifestly against his will. "Harriet?"

"I can do it." Harriet said quietly. "But... frankly? Doing it against her will won't work. As hurt as she is, I _could_ do it, but as soon as anyone competent scans her, they will detect it. It will be fragmentary at best if we do it without her consent. And..."She shrugged. "I do not want to anger her mother." Pragmatism, not sentiment. Not from Harriet.

"Me neither." The Reverend Mother said soberly. "So... we need her active consent." She looked at the soldier who folded his arms across his chest. "Horatius..."

"You know what Mercedes will say." Horatius said sternly. "And I happen to agree. The kid is hurt enough."

"And if Jules and crew figure out who she is and take her to HQ to be dissected?" The old nun demanded.

"They would never make it there." Horatius said quietly. The Reverend Mother stiffened and he nodded. "We have been under constant surveillance since she arrived. By the Company... and others." The old nun nodded. "Unless they take a portal..."

"Which will kill the girl." Harriet said softly.

"They try to move her and all _hell_ lands on them." Horatius said softly. "And then on _us_, because we knew what she was and didn't _say_."

"Right." The Reverend Mother said softly. Then she spoke loudly, and with more than just her mouth. "_Get in here, Jules._" The door hissed open and the Executive staggered in, his motions jerky. "Well, now you know." She said as she stepped on something that went 'crack'. "The question is... _Executive_... what will you _do_?" Horatius had a weapon in hand now, Harriet had her hands on her machinery. Both were equally dangerous, but nowhere _remotely_ as dangerous as the old nun's mental powers.

"You... _knew_ I dropped that..." Jules grated out as he stopped few paces from the trio.

"I did." The Reverend Mother said quietly. "The time for stupid subterfuge has passed. So... what will it be, Jules? Vengeance for a wrong many years ago that was neither your fault nor ours? And a swift and brutal _death_ for much of our Company? Because you _can_ have your vengeance. And then we _all_ die."

"She...can't be...Tenno." Jules snarled. "Tenno are... AH!" He screamed as the old woman's power flared around him.

"She is not a Warrior." The Reverend Mother said sadly. "She wears no warframe and now...? She is _hideously_ vulnerable to _anything_ the Board might want to do to her. What will it be, Jules? Serve _your insane_ master or serve the _Company_?" He... didn't serve Frohd Bek although Bek _thought_ he did. He served Alad V as he had all his life.

"I..." The Executive slumped in place. "Put like that... what choice do I have?"

"A simple one." The Reverend Mother said quietly. "Live or die."

"Is your _vengeance_ worth it?"

* * *

><p><em>All right...<em> Janet lay back with a sigh of relief as Jules gave in to the inevitable. _That is falling into place. Poor Mishka..._

_If we get her soon enough, we can heal even such terrible wounds._ The Lotus sounded worried, small wonder. _She may not be the same, but we will do what we can._

_Right. _Janet said sadly. _I hope to apologize to her someday. Knowing it was coming and not being able to do anything about it... really hurts._

_Welcome to my world._ The Lotus replied sadly. _Sucks to be us._

_Indeed it does..._ Janet sighed. _Next phase..._

* * *

><p>"Look, I haven't resisted and I won't." Vina protested as the hands holding her gave her a shove. "What do you people want?"<p>

She had gone to sleep in that odd place with the Oracle and woken somewhere else. Gruff voices had sounded surprised and rough hands had grabbed hold of her. She was bound and blindfolded before she could even see. Something metal slapped her bare head.

"Quiet, you!" The female voice was harsh, edged with pain and anger. Grineer. It had to be. Vina was terrified. But...speaking the common human tongue? What had happened? Where was she? Why... She froze as the hands on her withdrew and the cover was taken from her eyes. She stared up into the face of a Grineer, but... was it? The female in armor looked at her and something like admiration flashed through the woman's sole flesh and blood eye.

"Well now... You have guts, I will give you that." The woman said calmly. "Most of the boxheads we deal with are blubbering by now."

"If you are going to kill me, just do it." Vina said, her head held high.

"Kill you? Oh, we are not going to kill you." The armored woman said with a laugh. "Your company doesn't do ransom. But we have been paid to keep you safe and secure until you are called for. Something about an exchange."

"The Company won't do that." Vina protested.

"Maybe, maybe not." The not-quite-a-Grineer in front of her said with a shrug. "But _I_ have no intention of reneging on the deal that was made. We _don't_. Steel Meridian _doesn't_."

"Besides..." The voice of the other Grineer woman, the one who had apparently slapped her came from nearby and Vina turned her head to see a Heavy Gunner standing there, her smile very out of place on the armored face. "I do not want to be cleaning up bags of Kubrow crap all day like those poor fools with Red Veil had to."

"Huh?" Vina asked intelligently.

"Let's just say that the fanatics _really_ angered some people." The armored woman who seemed to be in charge said with a sigh. "It was _knee deep_ in places in their HQ from what I understand. We have our own disagreements with them, but... sheesh..."

"What is going to happen?" Vina asked as a chair appeared from somewhere and the armored Grineer behind her eased her into it. Gentle? _Grineer_? Being _**gentle**__?_ Her mind was whirling.

"I don't know." The leader said with a sigh. "But there is no need to rude. You are here because some people wanted you kept safe and secure. If Perrin got hold of you, it wouldn't be pretty. Arbiters and New Loka likewise."

"I don't understand." Vina said weakly. "You... I..."

"We _were_ Grineer. Not anymore." The leader said firmly. "And while you are here? No will dare try for you. They know better. Vengeance be _damned_, I am _not_ going to cross that Nekros." Vina stared as _every single_ armored form she could see shuddered as one.

"Welcome to Steel Meridian HQ."


	16. Chapter 16

**Alterations**

She was... wrong.

Everything was wrong. She felt... off. She couldn't figure out _why_ she felt off, just that she was. Everything was muted. She wasn't fuzzy. Why did she think she _should_ be?

"Hey." A soft female voice sounded from nearby. "Back with us, girl?" That voice... resonated. That resonance spoke of kindness, gentleness, protection. But... not family. Or... what? She couldn't pull it to mind.

"I..." She paused. Who had spoken? That wasn't her voice. Was it? It was wrong. She focused. "What... happened?" Speaking hurt. And her voice...was wrong. Mechanical.

"Oh honey..." The voice said sadly as something soft brushed her face. "You were hurt. It's okay. You are going to be okay." The woman sounded confident, but there was something in her voice... Worry. No... Fear. But... not for the speaker. For _her_? "Easy, Mishka."

The hand on her brow felt wrong. Or her skin did. It was...she was... She swallowed hard as something seemed to start crawling up her leg. She tried to curl away from it, but her body didn't move. Then it hit her. She couldn't feel her body!

"Mishka." The voice soothed her. "Easy, easy... it's okay. You are okay." The touch on her cheek was calming, comforting.

"I..." Her name was Mishka. She remembered that. This woman...? She focused and the name came to her. Mercedes. This was Mercedes. But... "Something is crawling on my leg! I can't move! Help!"

"There is nothing on your leg, Mishka." The voice said soothingly. "It is all in your mind. All in your mind." The voice modulated, the woman was calmer. Or she was controlling her emotions better. "I know you are scared, that nothing is making a lot of sense right now. But the docs need to run some tests." Why did that send a stab of terror through Mishka? "_Easy_..." Mercedes crooned. "It's okay, girl. It's okay. Shhh..." The hand was caressing her cheek now, soothing, calming. "Easy, girl. I am here. Horatius is here. We won't let anything else happen to you."

"I... never..." Mishka swallowed hard and her throat hurt again. "I..."

"What, honey?" Mercedes asked, the hand still tracing Mishka's brow and cheek. That touch... soothed her fear. Mercedes was kind and gentle. Horatius was not, but he wouldn't let anyone harm... He... had... The memory wouldn't come.

"I can't remember..." Mishka said slowly. "I was running... I... did I fall?" She begged.

"No." Mercedes' voice was sad, but the touch was still soothing. "Nothing that happened was your fault. You were badly hurt and very sick. Now you are weak and need time to recover. But I am here to help."

"You are so good to me..." Mishka felt her eyes burn. "And I... I never..." Something changed and she was floating. "I never got you a present..."

_Yes you did._ The voice was in her head, but... it did not scare Mishka. She _knew_ the voice! But...

_Mom?_ Mishka pleaded. _I..._

_It is okay, Mishkling. I asked a friend to set up a communication system no one could track. _Iriana promised her daughter. _It is going to be okay. They need to check you, do some things. We know what they will do. It is not... what I want. But it is the best they can do for you. You are coming home, girl. Hold to that._

_I am scared, Mom. _Mishka said softly. _I can't feel and I... I can't move... and..._

_I know. _Iriana's voice was breaking. _Ah, Mishka..._ She said sadly. _Mercedes means well. She is a good person and... we __**did**__ get her gift. You and I did. Rest now. You will feel better when you wake next._

_Promise? _Mishka felt her consciousness fading but a mental kiss had her smiling as a physical one touched her brow.

_I promise._

* * *

><p>"Are you all <em>out<em> of your _**minds**__?_" Mercedes snapped, blocking the way to the bed with her own body.

The girl behind her was asleep and the machinery would keep her that way while she recovered as much as she could. Either Harriet or Horatius could have moved her physically with no trouble at all. The Reverend Mother could have moved her with mental power, but it was _Jules_ who spoke.

"We need to get her out of here. Now." Jules said quietly. "If she stays any longer... The report goes out today. The Board _will_ send for her."

"And _brainwashing_ her helps us, _how?_" Mercedes had a pretty good snarl for a non-violent person.

"If... we can convince them that we have been preparing her as an agent..." The Reverend Mother said carefully. "Then they will let us send her off. Hell, they will _encourage_ us to sacrifice her, knowing that if we _do_, it is a death sentence and it will hurt us. A few of them will protest. But most of the Board want us to suffer."

Mercedes stared from the old nun to Horatius who looked at the floor. Her expression of betrayal said it all. "You..."

"I don't want this, Mercedes." Horatius said softly. "It will hurt you no matter what we do. You like her and _more_. But she _cannot_ stay here. _We_ cannot heal her injuries. Maybe her mother can. But not _here_."

"No." The Reverend Mother said as she took a step towards Mercedes who backed up to the bed, still blocking it. "Mercedes, please." The Reverend Mother begged. "Don't make me order you or worse. I know you will hate me for this. I deserve it." She said quietly. "But she will _live_ if she goes. Here?"

"She dies..." Mercedes' voice was tiny. "I..." She turned to look at the still form in the bed and wilted a bit. "I... Harriet... Please be gentle."

"I will of my best." Harriet said quietly. Mercedes made a face, but stepped away from the bed. She wasn't stupid. They _would_ move her if they had to. As gently as they could. But... "It won't hurt her." She offered, an amazing display of spontaneous compassion for her. "It won't actually be real."

"She will think it is." Mercedes said with a gulp as she stepped to the door. She ignored Horatius' hand reaching for her. She jerked away and he dropped it. She all but ran from the room.

"Damn." The Reverend Mother said softly. "I had hoped she would only blame _me_." She shook her head. "Go after her, Horatius. Take care of her." Horatius nodded and was gone.

Harriet moved to the side of the bed and started unpacking instruments. She glanced at the Reverend Mother. "This may take a while."

"We can't leave." Jules replied before the Clergywoman could. "If we do, the cover is blown. If that happens..."

"Yeah." The Reverend Mother said softly as she leaned against the wall.

"You were one of the ones who put my son back together, weren't you?" Jules asked the Reverend Mother who nodded. "Was it.. this bad?"

"No." The Clergywoman said with a shrug. "None of what was done to hi, was physical. He had been programmed to spy on you. Not poisoned. The abuse rumors were a distraction. We knew that the moment we examined him. The patterns were clear."

"You could have told me." Jules said softly. "I wouldn't have betrayed you."

"We couldn't know that. We needed that slime _caught_ and _stopped_. He was a top level Executive, and no one outside of our channels could be trusted." The Reverend Mother said calmly. "As soon as your son was lucid, he offered. It was hard on you _and_ him. But _no more_ kids were taken and turned into unwilling spy drones by that scum. Marc _did_ recover." Her voice was hushed as Harriet worked. "We made sure of it. After."

"He hasn't spoken to me since." Jules said quietly. "I try every year. He ignores me. You cost me my son."

"We did." The Reverend Mother said quietly. "But a threat to the Company as a whole was eliminated. We gave him the option to terminate the scum. He took it." Jules stared at her and then shook his head slowly.

"He was _five years old_..." Jules said softly.

"...and he had been mentally _abused_." The Reverend Mother was still calm. "It took three _months_ before he would talk to us after pushing the button. If he hadn't... he probably wouldn't have _ever_ come out of his shell. The shell he had built to protect himself from the horrors he endured. If we had given him to you as you demanded, you wouldn't have known what to do. The regular docs would have drugged him into a stupor and left him to go mad. He was a child. We get a lot of hurt kids. Always have. Always will."

"All this time..." Jules said slowly. "I assumed you had brainwashed him..." The Reverend Mother shook her head. "If I can trust what you say."

"You don't have to." The Reverend Mother replied. "When we are done, you can com hm. Ask him about how the orchids are blooming." Jules looked at her and she shook her head. "We knew Alad V was crazy, just not _how_ crazy... Infested... fegh." She spat. Then she stiffened. Harriet was rising. "Sister Harriet?"

"Preliminaries are done. We need to wake her." Harriet said softly. "Better if Mercedes isn't here. The girl will be upset when we explain."

"And Mercedes is stressed enough. Do it." The old nun said quietly and Harriet turned to the medical machinery attached to Mishka. In just a few moments, the girl moaned. The Reverend Mother motioned Jules to silence and the Executive nodded. She spoke. "Mishka? Can you hear me?"

"What... happened to me...?" Mishka asked, her tone calm. Far, far calmer than the Reverend Mother expected. She looked at Harriet who frowned but then shrugged.

"Red Veil terrorists launched an attack on the orphanage, Mishka." The Reverend Mother said quietly. "It was a one-time deal, that method not will to work again. Unfortunately, you were hit by their weapon. It was a dart loaded with a potent neurotoxin."

"Then why am I not dead?" Mishka asked, confused. "I... can't feel my arms or legs, but... Mercedes was so kind and gentle. I was..." Her head moved a little.

"Don't move too much, Mishka." The Reverend Mother cautioned her. "We saved your life with some help. But you are very badly hurt still. The... toxin..." She trailed off as Mishka made a noise of understanding.

"If it hurt my nerves, then..." Mishka swallowed hard. "I am paralyzed."

"Your mom came." The old nun went still as Mishka did not react. "She helped you."

"She would." Mishka said with a small, tremulous smile. "She never _was_ one to sit and abide by anyone's rules when someone was hurting." She took a deeper breath. "So... what now?"

"We have to get you out of here, Mishka." The Reverend Mother said soberly. "The Board has realized that there is something odd here." Jules did not react as she looked at him. "We have a plan, but I don't think you will like it."

"Probably not." Mishka agreed. "Do it." All three of the observers stared at her. "You, all of you, have been far kinder than I ever expected Corpus to be. I can... only hope..." She gasped. Harriet manipulated a control and Mishka relaxed. "I..."

"We need to put something in your mind, Mishka." The Reverend Mother said with a sigh. "A control of sorts. The Board will never believe you were an agent without it."

"And if I am an agent..." Mishka paused. "A paralyzed, _blind_ agent?" She asked, incredulous.

"You are not blind, Mishka." The Reverend Mother said with a smile. "Open your eyes." The girl jerked a bit and then her eyes cracked open. She smiled a bit and then focused on the odd trio. "The poison hurt you very badly, but it did not blind you."

"I guess I should be grateful." Mishka said in an odd tone as she looked around. "Mercedes isn't here?"

"She is upset." The Reverend Mother sounded old and tired for a moment. "Can't really blame her. You are not an enemy and we are about to treat you like one." Mishka looked at her and the Reverend Mother shook her head. "You are _not_. Besides... if we did it for _real_? Your mother has some _very_ scary friends." She mock shuddered and Mishka smiled again, a little more naturally.

"That she does." Mishka agreed. "So... what?"

"Harriet?" The old nun asked.

"Mishka, I will place a underlay in the deepest recesses of your memory cortex." Sister Harriet said with a nod. "But...to do that, I need your consent and for you not to resist. If you do, it will hurt you or kill you."

"What will it do?" Mishka asked softly. "Will you make me spy on my mom?"

"Your mother is not incompetent." The Reverend Mother said with a snort. "She will scan you and detect it quickly. We know that... the people your mother is affiliated with..." She said delicately. "...can remove mental programming, if not _how_ they can do it. It is inconvenient at times, but right now? I am glad. We can get you out of here."

"I... I am sorry I was a pain." Mishka said softly. "You have all been nice to me. If this is a plot... Please don't hurt my mom." She relaxed and closed her eyes.

"Oh Mishka..." The old nun said sadly. "You were not a _pain_. You were _abducted_, _abused_ and then _dropped_ in our lap. You handled _everything_ that happened. It is hardly _your_ fault some fanatics hit you when they aimed at _us_."

"What do I do?" Mishka asked, not opening her eyes. "And... please tell Mercedes... 'Thank you.'"

"I will." The Reverend Mother promised. "Harriet?"

"Mishka..." The Sister said calmly. "I am going to give you something that will make you drowsy. Then will put some colored things in front of your eyes." Mishka swallowed but did not argue. "You need to look at them. Don't resist. It won't hurt if you do not resist."

"I am scared." Mishka said in a tiny voice.

"I know." The Reverend Mother said sadly. "But the good news? You won't have to be for long. Once the underlay is done, you will sleep and we can send you off. You should wake up at home."

"Thank you." Mishka said in a tone that was far too world wary to be from a fifteen year old. "I am ready."

"Okay Mishka..." Sister Harriet said softly as she worked controls. Then she readied a hypo. "Here we go..."

* * *

><p>Horatius wasn't sure what to do. Mercedes was not a violent person. She wasn't the type. She had simply refused to talk to him. She had walked back to her quarters swiftly and was now sitting on the extra bed that had been placed there for the girl. She wasn't crying. Yet. She was hugging the pillow that Mishka had used tight enough that her fingers were white.<p>

"Mercedes..." Horatius said softly. "This is the best choice. You knew she couldn't stay here." Mercedes did not respond and he sighed. "I am sorry, but this _is_ the best of the choices we have."

"I know... I just... I wanted to say 'Goodbye'." Mercedes said as she hugged the pillow tighter. "She is a good kid! I..."

"I know." Horatius felt sadness rise. An old friend just like rage. "But... you have been stressed by all this. You need some downtime. Rest time." He sat beside her on the bed and laid his arms around her. Then she was crying and he was holding her. He was careful not to speak aloud.

_I will see that you __**do**__ get the chance..._

* * *

><p>"Harriet?" The Reverend Mother asked softly as the sister started putting her gear away.<p>

"It is done." Harriet said quietly as she packed her gear. "It took. She will think she is an agent until her mother finds and neutralizes the programming. Intelligence gathering only." She rose and left the room without a backward glance.

"This is what the scum did to my son, isn't it?" Jules asked, his face tight.

"Yes and no." The Reverend Mother said as she scrutinized the sleeping girl's face. "Your son was adjusted using abuse and narcotics. Mishka has been programmed using hypnosis and calming agents. Same basic effect. _Very_ different methods."

"Will you keep your word?" Jules asked.

"I will." The Reverend Mother said calmly. "Ask him about how the orchids are blooming."

"Does he work for you?" Jules asked quietly.

"No." The Reverend Mother said after a moment. "He offered. We found a better job for him. He wasn't cut out to be a spy or a secret policeman. He is a _teacher_."

"But you would use him." Executive Jules wasn't asking. He was stating a fact.

"If I have to. Like I use everyone. Even you." She reached out, quick as whip and her hand cupped the back of the Executive's head. He did not resist as she erased parts of his memory of the last day. She was quick and efficient. Then she stepped back, her hand falling to her side. "Now you know."

Jules jerked and his voice was harsh. "You told Board Member Bek you _couldn't_ infiltrate the Tenno. Now you are trying?"

"I told him the method he chose was _flawed_." The Reverend Mother corrected the Executive grimly. "His plan wouldn't _work_. Tenno would _not_ take in adults, no matter _how_ injured. They _might_ take in this one." She turned to look at the sleeping girl and her face softened a little. "The odds are still not good, but they are _better_." She shook her head. "We need to-..." She paused as chime sounded. "What _now_?" She demanded as he hit her com. "Yes?" She demanded.

"Uh... We just... received a message you need to see..." A scared voice sounded. The Reverend Mother's eyes narrowed. That was one of the com techs.

"Oh?" She stepped to the door and Jules followed. "From?"

"Executive Vina."


	17. Chapter 17

**Shifts**

All eyes in the small room were glued to the screen. No one was speaking. Everyone was listening to the woman most had considered dead speak. The Reverend Mother, Horatius, Mercedes, Harriet and Jules were all watching a dead woman talk.

"...I stepped into the airlock of my own free will. The guards did as they were supposed to." Former Executive Vina said calmly. Her face was odd. Serene but... not. "I remember a shadow and nothing more. I woke somewhere I do not know. I was in pain and people tended me, but I did not see any faces. I spoke with one who called herself Oracle. I saw part of her face, but she wore a white robe and a veil. My augmentation was deactivated so I could not tell anymore than she had been burned." The Executive slumped. "I... did not plan this. I did not plan to survive. But I did. Now? I woke and everyone was gone. There was a com unit here that I could secure, use to send this message. I... do not know what to do now." She shook her head." I serve the Company. If it demands my death, I go willingly."

The message ended and there was silence in the room. Finally, the Reverend Mother spoke quietly.

"Mercedes? Was that her?" The leader of the Clergy asked quietly.

"I... think so." Mercedes was pale and had been since she had been escorted to the meeting by Horatius. "I cannot be sure. I mean... Can we?" She looked at Harriet and Horatius who shook their heads in unison. "I mean...it sounded like her. Looked like her. But..." She shook her own head. "She didn't... look right."

"They had to have drugged her." Horatius said quietly. "She was not one to submit to _anything_ without struggling." Mercedes slumped and he laid an arm around her. "We had no camera feed in the airlock." He lied glibly. All of the Clergy present knew who had taken Vina, but they wouldn't say with Jules in the room. They couldn't come right out and say the truth with the reviewer present. Mercedes leaned into his embrace.

"Then you should have used a different airlock." Jules snapped.

"Closest one." Horatius replied with a not so friendly look. "Whole _idea_ is not to let anyone have time to get organized and stage resistance. She was liked, loved even." He shook his head. "We need to know."

"You know it is a trap." Jules retorted. "_I_ can tell that and _you_ are the soldier."

"_Anything_ can be a trap, Executive." Horatius retorted. He looked at the Reverend Mother. "Requesting permission to _find out_ if it is a trap."

"Horatius..." The Reverend Mother said tiredly. She hadn't gotten any sleep. "Calm down. We _are_ in the middle of a review at the moment." She shook herself a little. "And now...? The reviewers have found something to report and get the Board in a tizzy. Yay!" She cheered in a mocking tone.

"One of _several_ things." Jules said firmly. "Bek will demand the C&C MOA."

"Bek can kiss my _butt_." The old nun retorted without heat. "Sheila is _our_ responsibility since he proved incapable of being responsible for such. Besides... Her C&C protocols are under _my_ direct command. Try to take her by force and it will _hurt_." The smile she leveled on his was vicious. "Bek learned about angering the prototypes with the _first_ one. Feel _free_ to report to the Board. By all means... Tell them to send their armies of proxies." Now her eyes were cold. "Please do."

"We will change all the codes." Jules muttered only to have Horatius _and_ Harriet both laugh at him. He stared at them and then nodded a bit ruefully. "Okay, okay... yes, the MOAs were tied directly into the systems. A major blunder."

"Putting it _very_ mildly." The Reverend Mother said with a frown. "If the Enemy had managed to subvert them..." She shook her head again as Jules winced. "The _only_ way the Board is taking Sheila is over the dead bodies of _everyone_ in this colony." Jules look at the others who remained impassive. "And you _may_ quote me on that." She paused. "It does make me wonder... if _that_ was what was intended."

"What do you mean?" The reviewer asked carefully. The Reverend Mother looked at Horatius who nodded.

"What better way to stage a takeover than to take control of an opponent's forces?" Horatius said quietly. "Simple. Clean. Effective. If a C&C MOA had landed anywhere in Corpus space, every proxy in range would have been subverted almost instantly. Could the flesh and blood troops change the codes quickly enough to avoid being slaughtered?" He asked nobody. Jules paled.

"You don't..._really_ think..." Jules said carefully.

"No." The Reverend Mother said with a shrug. "I do not think Bek was planning a coup. He may act irrationally at times but he isn't _totally_ clueless. It would be a bloodbath for no gain. Even if he took the power, he couldn't _hold_ it and he knows it. But he wasn't the one running the program at first." Jules did not react, but then again, his memory had been altered so he still thought his cover was secure. "I bet he saw the advantages. Which was why he took control from Alad V." She scoffed. "Just in time for that insane Tenno to destroy the facility."

"Reverend Mother..." Jules said quietly. "if they order the MOA destroyed..."

"She... would go willingly." The old nun said sadly. Jules went still and she nodded. "She doesn't _like_ what she is. She is very useful and a good med tech. But she is _terrified_ of some Executive coming in and _ordering_ her to slaughter people." She glared daggers at him. "As you discovered in your interrogation."

That had been... tense. Most of the colony adored Sheila. Seeing the MOA run out of the interrogation center crying had very nearly resulted in a lynch mob. They had managed to maintain order, but it had been a near run thing. The Reverend Mother had been forced to lean on more a few _very_ irate mothers to keep them from hacking the reviewers to bits with table cutlery.

The whole reason that the Reverend Mother had taken great care to bond with Sheila was because the girl -she was no machine no matter _how_ she looked- was a great danger and _knew_ it. Sheila had been depressed and frankly? Suicidal. She was better now, but it had been close. She was a _powerful_ weapon that the Reverend Mother was loathe to loose, but... She was _also_ a sentient being. The problem was... the bonds of love ran both ways. Sheila loved the Reverend Mother and she loved Sheila. If the Board tried to use Sheila against the Clergy... it wouldn't be pretty. And if they tried to take, hurt or dismantle Sheila... _That_ wouldn't be pretty either.

"She is _our_ responsibility." The Reverend Mother said with a shrug. "She did not have a contract. Now she does. Bek filed for insurance for the entire facility, _including_ all of the prototypes." She shrugged. "He _may_ be able to argue that she is property, but that would keep the legists busy for a few years and there is no guarantee they would agree. "

"And he would have to dodge stray shots in the meanwhile." Horatius said in a quiet tone that fooled no one. The Reverend Mother sighed, but the soldier was not deterred. "It wouldn't be _us_. _We_ wouldn't be anywhere nearby." He said in a tone of artful innocence.

"Make your report." The Reverend Mother said with a groan as she glared at Horatius. "We will wait for company authorization before doing anything about this message." Mercedes made noise of fear, but the old nun just shook her head. "We can do no more legally while under review." She leveled a glare at the Executive. "About Sheila... _We_ can keep her safe, secure and occupied with useful tasks. Bek? Not so much. If he tries to take her, it will cost him. A lot." Harriet and Horatius both nodded.

"I will make my report." The Executive turned and left the room. Horatius sighed and stepped on something that went crack under his armored boot. No one spoke until Harriet nodded.

"We are clear." Harriet said quietly. "Reverend Mother..." She asked, worried. "_Oracle?_"

"Yeah." The ancient Clergywoman said with a frown. "I have heard... rumors. A new player. Canny and skilled."

"I met her." Horatius' words still the room.

"You... _met_... her?" The Reverend Mother said softly.

"After the tower." Horatius said quietly. "She didn't speak. But... a white robe? Burn dressings?" He shrugged. "Distinctive. I... got the feeling she wasn't allied with the Tenno. She was there for my mom and dad."

"Reverend Mother..." Harriet said softly. "Oracles were _precognitives_."

"Some." The much older woman said with sigh. "So many records were lost in the Collapse, but we _do_ remember some. And that might explain why they took Vina." Harriet looked at her and the Reverend Mother shook her head. "Don't ask. I can't tell _anyone_ without sentencing them to death. I won't do that."

"_That_ bad?" Horatius asked carefully.

"_Worse_. Let me put it _this_ way..." The old nun said carefully. "If the Board got hold of her -and they _will try_ very hard- we haven't _seen_ bloodbaths. The damage the Grineer have and _will_ do pales in comparison. _Whoever_ she is... she is wise to keep a low profile." Harriet stilled and the old woman snarled. "Not a _word_, Harriet. _Not_ _a_ _word_." Harriet nodded slowly, her face a little pale.

Mercedes had gone still and now she swallowed. She knelt before the Reverend Mother, her face scared. "I... can guess. Don't let me harm the Company."

"Ah Mercedes..." The old woman pulled the younger one up and into a hug. "It is not your fault. You are as vulnerable in your own way here as... Sheila... is..." She trailed off and her eyes were suddenly far, far away. "No... _way_..." She breathed. In _awe?_

"Reverend Mother?" Mercedes asked after a moment when the older woman did not move or speak. No one was expecting the old woman to suddenly smile. "Uh..." Mercedes swallowed hard as the old woman hugged her.

"Tell me something..." The old woman said in a tone that sounded suspiciously like _glee_. "Where would be the best place to hide things we really do not want the Board to get hold of? Thing like... the only functional Command and Control MOA or a woman with pure human DNA in her ovaries?"

"Ah..." Horatius swallowed. "Well, _we_ couldn't. We are too... closely..." He paused and then, _he_ smiled. "They _didn't_..."

"I bet they _did_." The old woman said as she turned to Harriet. "I need you, Harriet. I still... hope to help you."

"You have." Sister Harriet said calmly. "But my loyalty is yours, now and always. What do you need?"

"This is going to take some organization." The Reverend Mother said with a nod. "And it all has to be done on the sly." She chortled. "_That_ is why they sent the message now. Dang, she hasn't lost her touch!"

"The reviewers will all be going _nuts_..." Horatius said with a snort. "_None_ of them will be looking at _us!_ _All_ will be reporting to their patrons, who will _also_ be going nuts and sending Black Ops teams to where the transmission came from."

"I don't _understand_." Mercedes nearly wailed, but she subsided when the Reverend Mother hugged her. "Are they going to hurt Vina?"

"They won't _find_ Vina, girl." The Reverend Mother said with a grin. "This was all...for us..." She shook her head, then she stiffened. "I... Jesselle and Zacharias..."

"We can't." Horatius said softly. "They are too visible after what Bek did. What he tried to do. Maybe Jesselle, but not Zacharias. Or the little one."

"No." Harriet replied. "Both need to stay. I will keep them occupied if you need." The Reverend Mother nodded sadly and the woman was out the door in an instant.

"I don't _understand!_" Mercedes _was_ wailing now and Horatius joined the embrace.

"I know." The Reverend Mother said with sigh. "And you won't for a while. But the good news is... You will see Vina again."

"What?" Mercedes asked, confused.

"You are not happy here." The Reverend Mother said sadly. "We do what we can, but it is very uncomfortable for you. You have given all we asked and then some. You stepped right up when Mishka needed you. But to demand what the Board has... This is not right... And it will drive you mad in time. She knew it..." She shook her head. "I _know_ she knew it. And I bet she found a better way."

"A better way for _what_?" Mercedes asked, hugging Horatius tight.

"To preserve the human race."

**A LONG ways from Neptune**

"Thank you."

Of all the things former Corpus Executive Vina might have thought to say to her captor, rescuer? Abductor? Whatever the hell he was... This was not one of them.

"This is gonna be a mess, no mistake." The pitch black warframe in the odd robe was calm as he stood nearby. "Six factions of people who mostly hate each other's guts. Tenno will come and go, but will be answerable only to themselves or their own leaders. They will keep the peace, but only for themselves. The Corpus will try to find it, the Grineer will search _hard_ for it. If you are found... we will do what we can to defend you. But..." He shrugged. "It is war. Bad things happen."

"I know that, Grand Master Nikis." Vina said formally, only to pause as Nikis scoffed. "What?"

"Don't start the formal crap with me, girl." Nikis warned her. "I can't be here very often and sometimes I will be incognito."

"You will always be welcome here." Vina said. Then she smiled wryly. "Ya old fart."

Such familiarity _should_ have been impossible. But he had come by to collect her from Steel Meridian and they had talked. She found she admired this ancient gunfighter. Anyone who would fill the Red Veil HQ with _Kubrow droppings_ had a seriously _bent_ sense of humor. Almost as bent as hers.

"Better." Nikis said with a nod of approval. "The tower will work to keep the coordinates scrambled, but any signals will draw unwelcome attention. You have to be a hole in space. As long as you do that, it would take even one of the Grineer Balor Fomorians a while to localize you, but they _can_ if they work at it. Which they _would_. And if they do..." He shrugged expressively.

"Right." Vina said with glance around the still empty Relay. For the moment, nothing but basic life support was powered, everything was barely lit and to be honest, it was kind of creepy. "The evacuation plan is sound. But..." She shook her head. "I still think that leaving the mothers at the tower is a better choice."

"The tower would, but the Clergy won't trust us, Vina." Nikis said quietly. "Can't blame them. Tenno are what we are. Always have been, always will. Also... The tower is new and still developing. It won't be safe for any but Tenno or people we can protect, which won't be many for a while. Maybe eventually."

"Be careful Nikis." Vina said with sly grin. "People might start to think you had a heart."

"I have seen a lot of bad in my life, Vina." Nikis said quietly. "Seen some good, but far more bad. Keeping you from expiring for doing the right thing... helps a little."

"And it is not like I needed a _job_ or _you_ needed an administrator." Vina said with smile that faded. "The...programming is still here. I can _feel_ it. Can't..." She trailed off as Nikis shook his head. "Why not? I mean... I know the _truth_ now!" She protested.

"You know _part_ of the truth." Nikis countered. "Not _all_. Be glad. If you did... You would _never_ sleep easy again. You have broken the controls. The rest?" He shrugged.

"I still don't see _why_ they cannot remove the brainwashing." Vina said fiercely. "I can't go back. Ever. I know that. You know that."

"I don't ask Oracle her reasons." Nikis replied. "She usually can't answer." He snorted. "When she _does?_ You usually wish she _hadn't_."

"Yeah." Vina agreed softly. She hadn't believed. Oracle had told her she would find a job that would both be challenging and rewarding outside the Company, but she hadn't believed. Now she did. She stared around the dark space station one more time and sighed. "I am delaying. We have it set up. Now we just need our personnel." She shook her head. "Do these get easier with practice?" She asked sourly as the Nekros took her hand.

"Nope." Nikis replied as golden energy enveloped them. Then they were standing in the main entryway of an Orokin tower. And not just _any_ Orokin tower. "Tower, status?" He politely ignored Vina rapidly moving to a nearby receptacle to be noisy sick. He did move to support her when she staggered. "Vina? Need the healer?" She shook her head.

"Others... need... her..." Vina managed to gasp out between nastiness. "Go..." She said sharply as she heaved more. "I am... okay... I'll be right there."

"Take your time." Nikis moved a few steps away as a pair of warframes stepped into view. Karl moved to stand near Nikis and Alicia moved to check Vina. "It is ready. The others?"

"Set. You really think this will work, Nikis?" Karl asked as Alicia helped Vina rise again.

"Frankly?" Nikis shook his head. "No. But Oracle says it has a good chance. She is full of surprises that woman."

"No kidding." Vina said as she nodded to the Trinity. "Thank you." She snorted. "I never thought to see the day I would be _thanking_ -and _working with_- Tenno..."

"You are handling it very well." Alicia said quietly. "You ready?" Vina made an exasperated noise and all three Tenno chuckled. "Seriously, Vina. We can wait a bit."

"No." Vina said with a sigh. "Oracle was right about everything else. It's just..."

"I don't think _any_ human is ever really ready to _die_."


	18. Chapter 18

**Partings**

If there was one single thing that the Corpus Clergy as whole knew how to do, it was keep secrets. That was their job. Their role within the gigantic machine that was the Corpus. But even _they_ had difficult moments occasionally.

"I am not going." Sheila said firmly as she retreated a step.

"Sheila..." The Reverend Mother tried not to sigh. "Bek knows about you by now. You cannot stay here. If Bek and the others demand you..."

"You know what I will do. I can hide myself. You know I can!" The violet MOA said sternly. "You cannot send me away! The mothers need me! The docs, the medics! The kids!"

"We muddled through without you before you came, dear." The Reverend Mother said sadly. "We will manage again. It won't be easy. We will miss you. Shelia, please. Don't you want to see your _real_ mom?"

"_**You**__ are my real mom!_" The MOA shouted loud enough to deafen. Everything stopped in the room, only to start again as the Reverend Mother gestured. People were moving. Mercedes stood by the gurney on which Mishka was laid. "_You_ are my family! I love you! Don't make me _leave_! I _won't_! I _can't_!" Most of the time, it was very easy to forget just how young Sheila was. Then you were reminded.

"Sheila..." The old clergy woman said softly. "If they come for you... We will have no choice but to fight. We will." She said firmly and Sheila retreated another step. "But you know we cannot win. Not against the Company. Sheila... What are we _for?_ The Clergy?"

"To... To preserve humanity." The MOA sounded nearly in tears. "To guide the Company. To keep it from excess that would destroy it." She said as if by rote. "I..."

"Sheila..." The Reverend Mother took a slow step towards the now trembling MOA. "I do not want you to go. But Mishka needs you. They will _all_ need you, the ones who are going. I do not _care_ what the powers that be may say, you are a _doctor_, Sheila. Their Healer. They _need_ you."

"I want to stay." Sheila said plaintively.

"I know." The Reverend Mother said as she laid a hand on the MOA's hull. She didn't do anything, just left it there. "And I _do_ know the real reason, Sheila." The MOA was still suicidal. If the Company came for her, she would passively resist enough that they would be forced to destroy her no matter what orders they had to take her intact.

"I..." Sheila made a gulping noise. "I don't want to continue like this!" She did not resist as the Reverend Mother took hold of a protrusion on her housing and pulled her gently towards where Mercedes stood with Mishka's gurney. "This is wrong."

"Wrong or no..." The Reverend Mother said as she steered Sheila to stand by the gurney. "We love you. If you cease to exist, we would miss you. This way... You will survive and there may be a chance for you to change. To come back when this is settled and Bek has other insanity to contemplate." The MOA seemed to slump and the old nun's voice softened. "With you and Mercedes and Mishka gone, they will have nothing to focus on. Nothing concrete to blame us for. They will complain, they will bluster, they will make our lives miserable. But in the end, Sheila, they _need_ us and they _know_ it. We will continue. It is what we do."

"And I am a burden." Sheila said sadly. Mercedes reached out to take hold of the MOA and the Reverend Mother let go.

"No." Mercedes said quietly as the MOA finally started to cry. "You are _family_." She hugged the proxy's housing tight. "I need you, Sheila. Mishka needs you."

"I..." Shelia seemed to wilt. "I just..."

"I know."

* * *

><p>The Reverend Mother stepped back and watched with sad eyes as the pad under the small group lifted. It lifted easily and then retracted into the small transport craft that would carry them away from the colony. With all portals monitored, this was the only truly safe way for Mishka to leave. Sheila and Mercedes as well as small group of specially chosen women would go with her. Hopefully to safety. She <em>had<em> to hope that. Any other thought was heartbreaking.

The crew of the ship was handpicked. A small team of Special Forces would provide security until they reached... wherever it was they were going. Then the soldiers would likely would return.

The Reverend Mother stood silently as the retracting lift was pulled into the ship and the large cargo hatch it had come from closed. She stood while the hum of the drives increased in intensity. She watched as the ship took off and was quickly out of sight. Only after it was gone did she turn back to the suddenly smaller and less hospitable colony that she called home. It felt... emptier.

"Reverend Mother?" A young voice called and she turned with a smile on her face as a young form stepped form a hatch. "Call for you." Jesselle's face was a mask, but worry shone deep in her eyes.

"I can guess who it is." The old woman said with sigh. "Go on, get to your duties. I have got this."

Jesselle nodded, her face still shadowed. But she left without another word. The Reverend Mother sighed and stepped into a com room. She keyed the systems live and waited. She did not have to wait long.

"Well, well, well..." Frohd Bek was nearly salivating. "You have been bad, old woman."

"Have I?" The Clergywoman asked quietly.

"The Board has ruled." Bek said with barely hidden glee. "You will surrender the Command and Control MOA, the woman with pure human DNA and the girl you found to the Board immediately."

"The MOA, you want to dissect so you can repeat the madness again."The Reverend Mother said softly. "The woman... You want to dissect so you can sell her tissue to the highest bidder. You obviously never heard the story of the Golden Goose."Bek opened his mouth, but she cut him off. "Killing her to take the tissue is not the most efficient use of Company resources, but you do not care." She said, her tone still mild. "You get to hurt us and you make a tidy profit in the short term. That is all that matters. You learned Alad V's lessons well." Bek's face went red, but she wasn't done. "And as for the girl?" She scoffed. "You might want to thank me, Bek."

"Thank you?" Bek snapped. "_**Thank you?**_" He demanded. "That girl survived something that is not survivable! She is to be examined to the molecular level! She will-" He broke off as she laughed.

"The _girl_ has a _name_, Bek." The old Clergywoman said firmly. "Her name is _Mishka_ and her mother has some _very_ powerful and _scary_ friends who would have killed _everyone_ in their way to get to her before you did. Hell, they might have gone after _you_." She shook her head. "Which would only have improved the company. We set her up as an agent. Might work. Might not."

"You dare..." Bek said in a dangerous voice.

"Yeah." The Reverend Mother said in an offhand voice. "What will you do about it? You are not the Company, Frohd Bek. You speak for many of the Board, but not _all_ of it." She shook her head. "And before you do something typically _stupid_, like order an _assault_... They are not _here_. I was looking for them when you called."

"You lie!" Bek snapped.

"I _do_ lie occasionally." The Reverend Mother said quietly. "When it is needed. When people like _you_ make it needed. But in _this_ case? I don't have to. I am reasonably sure they decamped last night, after Vina's message was received. Mercedes wanted to find her partner. Sheila knew what you would do to Mishka. And her."

"It." Bek corrected the old woman. "The MOA is a proxy. A robot and _it_ is my property."

"Funny." The old woman replied without heat. "_She_ declined to apply her contract to you. _She_ applied it to _us_. And since you already applied for and _received_ insurance monies for the losses incurred, _including_ all of the prototypes..." She shrugged. "Are you saying you _lied_ to your insurers? Bek, Bek..." She shook her head again. "Naughty, naughty..." She folded her hands in front of her and her smile had little mirth.

"You will give them to me." Bek snapped, his ire rising.

"They are not _here_." The Reverend Mother said with a shrug. "Now that the reviewers are not poking their noses everywhere, the surveillance systems are back online. We had... a few near misses when they accessed places they were not supposed to without escorts. So we took it offline. All of it." She shook her head."They are not here, Bek. They fled sometime last night."

"It seems you need better security." Bek said with a tight smile.

"No." The Reverend Mother retorted without heat. "We just needed to be able to _use_ our security. Now we _can_. And we _will_."

"You are hiding something." Bek snapped. "I will have it out of you."

"I am hiding a _lot_ of things, Frohd Bek. All for the good of the Company." The Reverend Mother said with a long suffering sigh. "You do not want to do this."

"I think I do." Bek said with a smile.

"Okay fine." The old woman said with a smile of her own. Bek's features faltered as her smile turned into a grin that might have scared a _Sand Skate_. "Bring it _on_, asshole." She hit the com cutoff before he could speak. Then she sighed. "You get that?"

"We did." A harsh male voice sounded from a speaker. "He is clearly over the line. If he attacks... Will you need assistance?"

"If he attacks the colony..." The Reverend Mother said with a sigh. "He will _not_ like what happens. The Special Forces are still here." Most of them anyway. More than enough to make mincemeat of any conceivable Corpus assault. "I assume the review is done?"

"Most of it." The other voice replied calmly. "Most of us were focused on our own sectors, our own profits. That..." he sighed. "That _idiot_."

"It is a pity." The Reverend Mother said softly. "He is a good administrator. But he got a taste of power and it went to his head. I mean.. really... trying to put his _son_ up as Chairman? How unoriginal can you _get_?"

"We will not be able to remove him from the Board." The other replied. "We _can_ curtail him. We can levy some fairly prohibitive fines for some of his... misguided endeavors."

"One way to put it." The Reverend Mother said sadly. "I didn't want this. I serve the humanity and the Company. This will hurt the Company no matter how we do it. I never wanted that."

"Those with eyes not clouded by hate can see that, Reverend Mother." The pro-tem chairman of the Corpus Board reassured her. "_We_ will take care of this. Find your wayward charges if you can. The Grineer are massing again."

"I know." The Reverend Mother said quietly, her eyes far away. "I know."

* * *

><p>Sheila was still crying as Mercedes guided her and Mishka's gurney into another compartment on the small ship.<p>

"Sheila." The woman said as she guided the gurney to sit against one wall. "It's okay. It will be okay."

"I was happy." Sheila said weakly. "I... I wanted to be what I was good at."

"You are." Mercedes said with a stern look as she checked Mishka's monitors. They were all in the green. "Check her? I don't know all of this." The MOA made a soft noise, but stepped close, scanners whirring.

"She is sleeping." Sheila said softly. "Just sleeping. She will sleep a lot until... we get wherever it is we are going." She made another soft noise. "Do you have _any_ idea where we are going?"

"No." Mercedes said with a sigh. "I guess... I better go join the other women."

The small ship had been set up as a transport. It was fairly spartan, but the nineteen other new mothers had been given comfortable seats in one of the small compartments. With no information other than hunches, the Reverend Mother was not going to put a large percentage of the mothers in danger. Mercedes was not sure what kinds of contingency plans were in place, but she was sure there were such plans. She stepped into the room and froze. The women were gone! Horatius stood there, but... He had been sent off doing something else! He hadn't been aboard when they had launched.

"Hey." Horatius said with a smile. His helmet was open so she could see his face. He had no weapons in hand, but wore them openly.

"Ah..." Mercedes swallowed hard. The other women who had been sleeping in the chair that had been set up for them were gone. "This is some kind of trick, isn't it?" She asked sourly.

"Not for you." Horatius said as he stepped closer. "Come on, we need to get Sheila and Mishka and get off this tub. Fast." He took her hand and the door hissed as they strode towards it.

"Mercedes!" Sheila sounded terrified. "Scanners read Grineer assault pods approaching and the crew isn't responding! I..." She broke off as Horatius stepped into the room behind Mercedes. "Uh..." She made an exasperated noise. "You could have _told_ me!"

"What you do not know, you cannot divulge by accident." Horatius said quietly as he stepped closer to the gurney. "How is she?"

"Still weak." Sheila said with a gulp. "You are not going to do... what I _think_ you are going to do..._are_ you?" She gave a gasp as he produced a small golden object. An Orokin key! "Horatius!" She protested.

"If she stays here, she dies." Horatius said as he hugged Mercedes tight, pulled her close and then held out both hands. One to touch the MOA and the other to touch the gurney. "We have medical support standing by. They are briefed. But you are the charge physician until her mom takes charge." The ship gave a lurch and Horatius grimaced. "We are out of time. Hold onto your lunch, Mercedes."

A flash of gold...

The Grineer marines who boarded the small Corpus transport did not have time to realize that it was empty before it self-destructed. Only the transponder of the ship, which had been deactivated and _removed_, survived.

* * *

><p>Mercedes was hurling even before the world stopped spinning around her. Horatius held her as she vomited.<p>

"I need some help here!" Horatius called and other hands were holding her gently. Something hissed against the shuddering woman's neck and she relaxed as her stomach subsided, still grumbling. But then her heart plummeted. If _she_ had been sick...

"Mishka!" She begged. "She will..."

"We have her." A totally unexpected voice had Mercedes stiffening. She stared up... into Vina's face. The former Executive smiled as Mercedes stared at her "And she is okay. Hello dear heart."

"Vina..." Mercedes had ghastly stuff all over her front. She knew her face was a mess, her hair a wreck. She didn't care as she threw herself at Vina who held her as she started to cry. "I..."

"I know." Vina said softly, stroking Mercedes' hair. "I am sorry. For leaving you. For scaring you. For... not being there."

"They... they needed you..." Mercedes said with a grunt as she hugged Vina tight. "I... I didn't... You died and I..." She babbled incoherently.

"They don't need me anymore." Vina said quietly. "The Clergy will run the facility as well or better than I did. I have another job now and..." She smiled fondly. "I have an opening for an executive assistant. Know anyone who might be interested? The pay kind of sucks and the hours are long. But I hear the fringe benefits are nice."

"Doing what?" Mercedes pulled her face from Vina's shoulder and froze. The trio were not alone. "Uh..." She stared around at the _five_ warframes who were watching her. They stood as if...amused? But it was the woman in the white tunic who was straightening from where she had been bending over Mishka's gurney whose face had Mercedes freezing in place. She knew this woman. But from where? She didn't -quite- remember. But she knew her.

"Safeguarding the future of humanity." Healer Iriana said with a smile as she stepped toward the now frozen Mercedes. She held a scanner in hand and it whirred. She nodded. "Good girl, you obeyed my orders."

"Vina?" Mercedes wasn't -quite- begging. "What the hell?"

"Welcome to the future, Mercedes." Vina gave her partner another hug. "And we need your help to make it efficient." She nodded to the Healer. "You know Healer Iriana. I beg leave to introduce some... other people who were instrumental in my survival and helping me find a new job." She nodded to the Tenno.

"I..." Mercedes swallowed and then sighed. "This is going to be a _long_ explanation, isn't it?"

"Ya _think_?" The skeletally thin warframe on the far right asked snidely.

"Nikis..." Iriana said as she laid a hand on Mercedes' shoulder. "Don't scare her. She has had a bad shock." She gave a squeeze. "Come on, girl. You need rest and food. You are eating for four now."

"_Four?_" Vina, Horatius and Mercedes all chorused.

"Yeah." Iriana said with a sigh. "And you are going to be _very_ busy. Triplets are no joke at _all_." She warned. "But with our help you will manage. Which, by the way..." She turned to the silent violet hulled MOA that was standing and watching. "Someone wants to meet you too, Sheila. Well, _several_ someones."

A door hissed nearby and Mercedes went still as two forms entered. No three. The woman wore robes. She moved like a Tenn. The two young women with her were very different. One she knew from files. Sara Priosa was smiling. The other...?

"Hello Sheila." The dark haired girl said with a smile. "My name is Cecilia."

"Come." Sara held out her hands to the MOA. "Come, sister. Join our family."

"I..." Shelia was crying. "Mercedes... Vina... Horatius... I..."

"Go on, Sheila." Vina said softly. "We have this. Meet you family. Tenno Karl? It is time."

The largest warframe nodded and all five turned and left without speaking.

"Time for what?" Mercedes as asked as Sheila broke down and cried. Sara and Cecelia moved to hug her with the older woman watching.

"For us all to part ways with the Company."


	19. Chapter 19

**Achieving consensus through unusual means**

"This really ain't fair, you know..."

The words were calm, but more than a bit sarcastic. The small team did not look at the speaker. He was rambling as he did sometimes. It was just part of what made him... well... him. He was moving slowly while he checked his weapons.

"All those Black Ops teams are coming, looking for Vina." The being said with a smirk in his voice. "And they won't find her." Both of the others who were waiting looked at the leader who gave an inaudible sigh.

"Nikis..." Karl shrugged. "I get that you are bored. But we do _really_ want to make sure this turns out right, don't we?" The Rhino looked at the Nekros. "Don't we?"

"In the long run, what good will it do?" Nikis asked sourly as he subsided a little from where he had been trying to pace. "You and I both know the Clergy cannot be trusted. They will use what they found out to screw people, probably us."

"No one said we had to trust them, Nikis." Karl said with a snort. "That would be stupid. But we _do_ need to protect the refugees, no?"

"Letting the Clergy know there are non-combatant Tenno was a bad idea." Nikis said with a sigh. "And you know that wasn't all that bitch pulled from Mishka's mind." He shook his head. "As to why that miserable kinslayer dropped her off there... I hope to ask him. Preferably sometime _soon_." Hate sang in his tone now and all three of the others shifted a little.

"They won't stay at the Tower, Nikis." Karl said mildly. "Iriana and company are putting them all through the wringer."

"That doesn't change the _facts_, Karl." Nikis was suddenly serious. "She begged me. She _begged me_ Karl..." Nikis sounded old and tired suddenly. "Vina _begged_ me to undo the brainwashing. And we _can't_. Not _Clergy_ brainwashing."

"I know." Karl said softly. Corpus brainwashing was one thing. It was fairly straightforward if time consuming to find and repair the damage that was done. The Clergy? They had it down to a science. Just _finding_ what they did was hard enough. _Fixing_ it without causing irreparable harm to the mind? Almost impossible in most cases. Not all.

"Janet was a once off..." Nikis continued as if he hadn't heard. "She was hurt and sick. She broke most of it on her own to beat the Elena Greensky. Then _Nyx_ got involved and shattered the rest." The First Nyx was a past mistress of dealing with mental problems. Or causing them. "Mishka may or may not be able to be freed."

"Even if we _can't_..." Karl said quietly. "We will not leave her to suffer. You know this." He said to the Nekros. "Jasmina and Elenia have some ideas too."

"Yeah." Nikis said sourly. "Both of them have the brains of _eggplants_ where hurt kids are concerned." Karl just looked at him and Nikis shrugged. "Not saying compassion to kids in distress is a _bad_ thing, just saying they ain't thinking too clearly with Mishka such a mess. The _last_ thing we need is the _Clergy_ getting access to the _mass mind_." At that, the Nekros actually shuddered and all three other Tenno shared it. "This is a good compromise. But it _does_ present some humdinger problems."

The basic idea was fairly simple. Set up an out of the way free space facility where the women who had fled with Mercedes, Mishka and Sheila could grow and thrive. One of the ancient Orokin communication relays had been selected as a test bed and refurbished like the others that had been used to bait the Grineer Balor Fomorians into optimal striking range of Tenno teams. Vay Hek never realized that the relays his ships were so busy burning to cinders were completely empty except for holograms. He wouldn't be able to kill them all, and that would drive him _crazy_. His distraction allowed the Tenno to control _where_ and _when_ they engaged the massive Grineer superships. That was important. Not all Tenno were equally adept at space combat. It took a different set of skills from ground based fighting and even in antiquity, not all Tenno had been comfortable flying Archwings.

Speaking of...

"Incoming." Olim said quietly. All four of the Tenno turned to face the large Corpus ship that was boosting toward the tiny space habitat that they had secreted the navigation transponder from the ship that Mercedes, Mishka and Sheila had been on. Coincidentally, it was the facility from which Vina's transmission had been sent to the Corpus. "They are launching transports." He said unnecessarily as five smaller dots separated from the large green blue spacecraft. Olim spun his Elytron Archwing to look at the Nekros, his Dual Decurion pistols ready and his Veritux sword stowed. For the moment. "You want to _warn_ them?"

"Oh come _on_, Olim!" Two snapped from where her Itzal hung invisible in space. "If _anyone_ has earned their fate, any of Bek's Black Ops teams have." She was still _mostly_ Serene, if not _quite_ the same level of darkness. Thank _god_. _**One**_ Serene was _more_ than enough. No one needed to see her to know she had her Velocitus ready to go. She probably wouldn't even bother to draw her Centaur sword/shield. She rarely needed to. She did not miss often and anything she hit was going to _hurt_.

"Still goes against the grain." Karl commented as he swung his Odanata around, his Imperator whirring as it charged it's capacitors. He _would_ use his Onorix axe at some point. That was a given considering his fighting style. "Even with Jasmina and Elenia... it goes against the grain."

"They don't like it any more than we do." Nikis replied. His weapons and Archwing were...different. No one had dared ask when he had shown up with them. Where the others' wings were technological in design, Nikis' wings were more... organic looking. Dark and sinister. The three barreled pistols he held in each hand were also odd looking, more organic than metal. Then the _scythes _on the ends of them_?_ The _less_ said about the night black metal sticking out of the diseased looking flesh, the _better_. Just _looking_ at them made the other Tenno feel... wrong. "Probably _less_. But it is all biomass. They need it and can use it. Waste not, want not, right?" His... voice...

"Nikis..." Two's voice was worried at the hate in his tone.

"You know what their orders are." Nikis said softly. Nodding didn't work so well in free space, but they all made noises of sour agreement. "Kill Vina, disable Sheila and take her for dismantling, kill Mercedes and yank out her reproductive organs and...then... Mishka..." He took a deep breath. The transports vanished into the space station's landing bay, never noticing the four winged Tenno who hung just outside the tiny blip of metal lost in the endless black.

Nikis didn't like a whole lot of people. Only two had his love. Janet and Lisa. Sometimes Jasmina, but not always. Some had his grudging respect. Others had his _ire_ and stepped _very_ carefully around him. Only a few, _very_ few, did he consider 'friends'. When someone hurt one of his friends, or hurt one of the _children_ of one of his friends... No one _sane_ got in his way when that happened. He _liked_ Iriana and her daughter Mishka. Iriana was his friend. Ergo... His rage, while diluted from his time with Janet, was still sufficient enough to scare veteran Tenno, let alone anyone of lesser discipline.

The Lotus hadn't wanted to tell Nikis what the Black Ops teams' orders were. But he had been persistent. As soon as he had found out that they were to do to Mishka -destroy her mind while keeping her body alive- he hadn't even spoken. He had just _shown up_ with the jet black Archwing and weapons. They hadn't _planned_ on him being part of the team, but no one was _about_ to argue with him either.

"And... now." Olim said softly as the com bands suddenly lit up.

Screams and gunfire sounded over the com and then a horrified male voice shouted. "_Infested_! This place is _Infested_! A _hive!_ We-" The com gave a scream that cut off with dreadful finality.

"Time." Nikis said with a nod. His pistols blurred and suddenly a night black scythe hung from one of his hands. Six barrels extended from just beyond the blade. "Do what you gotta. The crew is _mine_."

He accelerated towards the Corpus ship as the other three started to follow, but left them behind almost instantly. His form and wings were outlined in orange energy as he slammed into a window of the Corpus ship, his scythe swinging. The insanely hard polymer glass did not even _slow_ him down. Corpus bodies and proxies went flying into the void as he cut his way into the Corpus ship. Then an emergency bulkhead sealed. But... that sealed Nikis _inside_ the ship...with the Corpus crew. _Not_ a good choice...

The other three Tenno did not waste time, they charged. They would find the ship's reactor and destroy it. And if they slaughtered some of Bek's goons on the way? So much the better Nikis would _not_ leave any of the crew inside alive and his first target was the com room. No word would reach the Board after the initial horrified warning. With the ship destroyed, no evidence of Vina's fate would remain. Then maybe even Bek would get the hint.

'Leave the non-combatant allies of the Lotus _alone_.'

* * *

><p><em>I don't like this...<em>

The firing had stopped. The cursing had petered out. The screams had ended. The cries of pain, the whimpers. The...twitching was only beginning though. The... masses of flesh would keep twitching. The Technocyte virus was not as easily stopped as human lives were.

_Neither do we._ The female voice was gentle, kind even. _It... is horrible. But it has to happen. Ordinarily, we take biomass from feral Infested. __**This**__ is wrong. We all know it. But..._

_But it is needed. It is the only way to keep the mind mass going._ A dark shape faded into view, out of line of sight of the embattled Corpus ship. A small sleek spacecraft, painted black. They _probably_ wouldn't have noticed if the ship had dropped its stealth right in _front_ of them. They were a little busy _dying_. Nikis in a temper was _not_ something to take lightly. _I know. But that doesn't make it right. They were human. They were... Company. I was... I was built to protect the Company, Caretaker Elenia. Things have changed, but..._

_I know, NightNova._ The other voice was sad. _We shouldn't have asked this of you. We could transport it ourselves. We can..._

_No. Mitchell needs your help. _The sentient starship said quietly as hatches opened on its sides and large misshapen forms started carrying masses of nastiness into storage holds that had been repurposed from weapon bays. _He didn't ask. I volunteered, but..._

_We should not have taken your offer. _Elenia said with a sad sigh. _We will not make you do this again._

_This form is well suited to carrying biomass. _The storage areas were filled and the Infested retreated. The hatches closed and the ship vanished from view again. _It... gives me something to do._

_NightNova..._ Elenia said sternly. _We will find something __**else**__ for you to do. Mitchell's infection is our responsibility. The harm you and he took is our responsibility. We hurt you. Both of you. We... helped you, but we can't help him but so much._

_I know. _The small ship replied. _But if you hadn't caught us? What then? We would have __**both**__ perished when power ran out. Mitchell due to lack of life support and myself due to lack of power to my main processors. You did save us from that fate._

_A far more merciful fate than what awaits Mitchell, NightNova._ Elenia said with sob.

_We will not agree on this, Caretaker._ NightNova replied evenly. _And...I do not mind if the biomass is Grineer or Infested. Just... not Company._

_We won't ask that of you again. _Elenia promised. _Ours are clear._ _Time._

_Time._

NightNova backed away from the station. Two small slots opened on its front. One lone Corpus tech on the embattled Corpus ship gawked at the energy readings that suddenly appeared. But he gawked a moment too _long_. Nikis' scythe took his head off. No one else paid any mind as the tiny spacecraft fired it's main plasma battery in measured pulses, each aimed at specific parts of the small station's superstructure. In less than a minute, the plasma bursts found the main reactor and the resulting chain reaction explosion tore the tiny space station apart.

Then NightNova vanished back into stealth, leaving the embattled Corpus vessel behind.

To die.

**Neptune**

The Reverend Mother sank back with a sigh. It was done. Bek's goons had been ambushed and wiped out. The ship was not responding to hails and it's energy readings had vanished with the peculiar trace that signaled a reactor failure.

But the station bothered her more. She hadn't expected Infested. Tenno had been her best guess, and from what had happened to the ship? She suspected Tenno. Infested could have taken the ship fairly quickly, but not that fast. Some Crewman would have managed to get word out before dying and being subsumed. But they hadn't. Whatever had hit the ship had been hard, fast and _merciless_.

She had managed to maintain the traces she had on Sheila, Mishka and Mercedes for a bit, then they had all vanished. She did truly love them all. Even Mishka despite the little time she had known the girl, she did love the young Tenno. It was... regrettable. She had lied to Mishka. But she...

She went still as something slid around her throat. Something dark red. It was curved and gleamed metal. She didn't need to feel to know the edge was razor sharp.

"You move or try your mind tricks and you die." The voice...was familiar. She had seen the records Horatius had taken when his team had gone after the Red Veil ship. "My quarrel _**was**_ not with you."

An iron hand grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back, but she had no intention of fighting. She wasn't sure who this being was, but she knew he hunted _Tenno_. Anyone who could do _that_... She had no chance against him physically. And there were no sensors in this hideaway. She had made sure of that.

"What do you _want_?" The Reverend Mother was not used to this feeling. This... helplessness.

"I brought her here, because I thought you were different from the other Corpus." The other said softly, his voice silky, dangerous. "I was _wrong_." The armored hand holding her arm twisted. "Wasn't I?" He demanded.

"I don't know what you are-" She gave a short, choked off scream as his hand twisted, his leverage pulling her arm nearly out of its socket.

"Don't try." The dark voice from behind her said in a matter of fact voice. "I have _seen_ the records. I saw what you did to her. The _first_ scan and the programming. You lying _bitch_!" The Reverend Mother went still. He knew. He _knew_ about Mishka! But... _how_?

"We didn't _hurt her!_" The old woman screamed again as the hand twisted further. "We _didn't!_"

"No." The hand... loosened a little. Not enough for her to pull free, even if she dared try with the blade at her throat. "It didn't hurt her. I admit that. But now... You _own_ her. Body and soul." Something in his voice... This being... was not angry. He was far, _far_ beyond that. The only being she had met who surpassed this being's anger was _Nikis_. Not even _Horatius_ could match the two for rage. "I want Mishka's code and I want it _now_."

The Reverend Mother went still. Every Clergy operative had a code embedded in their programming. It allowed for access to the programming. Even Clergy could not find the programming as deeply as they buried it. Harriet _might_ be able to find the deep rooted alterations, given enough time. No one else.

"So you can _kill_ her?" The Reverend Mother demanded. The was the usual reason for using such a code.

"What do _you_ care?" The voice demanded. "You got what you wanted. Your precious mothers and MOA are safe from the Board. But you made a _mistake_. _I_ know where they are." The old nun went cold. "They will _never_ be safe from _me_. The code. _Now_." He snapped.

"I can't let you kill her!" The Reverend Mother declared. "She is a good kid!"

"Yes, she is." The voice declared. "Your slaves, you may keep until and unless you tire of them and throw them away like all good slave mistresses. Like the _Orokin_ did." The Reverend Mother shook her head slowly and carefully. "But you do _not_ get to keep _her_. I _wanted_ to believe you were different. I was wrong. I do not mind making mistakes when I can fix them. I _am_ fixing a mistake right _now_. The _code_!"

"It was the only way to save her _life!_" The Reverend Mother screamed, her emotional pain and regret coming through clearly. "She would have given herself _away_ the first time they interrogated her if we hadn't! We _had_ to! They would have _known_ and the Tenno would have..." She froze. "You... You wanted us to die... didn't you? All of us."

"Actually?" The voice said softly. "I couldn't care _less_ about a bunch of human fanatics." She could _feel_ the disdain in his voice even without her powers. "At the time, I just wanted her safe for a number of reasons. Not the least of which because Serene _scares_ me. But you... You are following the exact same path the Orokin did. Profit above _all_. Selfishness is _all_. The end _always_ justifies the means. There are _two_ kinds, _masters_ and _slaves_. I thought you were _better_. I was _wrong_."

"No..." The old nun said slowly. This... being had _seen_ the Collapse. He had seen...the horrors of what the Orokin had done. "You are not." She spoke an alphanumeric series. "I try to be better." She pleaded.

"Try _harder_." The blade... vanished. "If you have _lied_ to me, I will be _back_." Then there was silence.

It took several minutes for the Reverend Mother to work up the courage to turn her head. But he was gone. It took her several minutes more to realize she had soiled her habit and almost _thirty_ minutes to work up the courage to go change it.


	20. Chapter 20

**Reunions**

Mishka wasn't fully asleep, but she wasn't fully awake either. She was... confused. Confused and scared. Her mind...wasn't working right. She had known that there was no way out for her except to do as the Reverend Mother had asked. To let the Corpus program her. It... didn't hurt. Nothing did now. But there was the underlying... sense.

_You serve the Company._

She shook her head savagely. That wasn't right. She wasn't...

"Easy." Mishka went still. She didn't know the voice. She cracked her eyes and a man was sitting by her bed. No, a Tenno. He wore no warframe but the feeling was Tenno. It wasn't any Tenno she knew. He smiled a little as he saw her eyeing him. "You are a mess, girl. But your mom will put you right."

Mishka stared at the man and then around. She was in an ICU, hooked up to many machines. She couldn't feel anything below her neck. It was odd, the man was... unremarkable. Nothing about him pulled the attention. His hair was dark, cut short in a traditional Tenno style. His face... Something plucked her memory, but she couldn't keep the fragment of memory in her forebrain and it vanished. She didn't think she knew him.

"Where am I?" Mishka asked slowly, confused. Did she know this man? He wasn't familiar. Was he?

"You are in the medical center of a refurbished Orokin communications relay." The man said with a nod. "You are very well trained. Not that I would have expected any less from your mom." He smiled. "You are scared and confused but you don't show it. Good girl." He patted her hand. She didn't feel it.

"Who are you?" Mishka asked.

"It's best you don't know too much, Mishka." The man said softly. "You mom and I have... disagreements." He said in a tone of profound understatement. "She is true Tenno, that is to say, stubborn as a _plate_ of _bedrock_." There was... no insult in his voice. More... _admiration?_

"You know my mom?" Mishka said. "I... No... They did something to me... I... I can't..." She squeezed her eyes shut as the feeling inside her rose to a crescendo again. Music was swelling, it was beautiful, but she had to fight it. She _had_ to. Then...something pushed it back. It seemed to come from her hand. The hand the strange man held in his now. She couldn't feel his fingers on hers. She should have been afraid of him. But she wasn't. Odd. "I... I can't stop it..."

"I know." The man said sadly. "They may have meant well, they may not have. I gave up trying to figure humans out a long, long time ago." He sighed. "I think I can help, Mishka. But it will take your mom. And the moment she sees me, she will hit the _roof_. I have deserved it for almost as long as you have been alive.." Mishka stared at him and then her eyes went big as realization struck. There was only _one_ male Tenno who could possibly have her mother so angry for so long... All of Mishka's _life_... "Yeah." He said softly.

"You..." Mishka felt her eyes start to burn. "_You_ are..."

"Yes. I am your dad. But... I gave up any claim I might have had when I left, Mishka." The man said quietly. "Iriana and I...had a fight. I left. I left and I didn't look back. The time I spent with her was... marvelous. The best time I have had in a long, long time. But I had something I had to do and she didn't want to come with me. She wanted you. Looking back? She made the right choice." He patted her hand again. She could see him do it, but not feel it. "You are special. Not for your genetics, not for your parentage, or for anything that can be quantified by science. For _who_ you _are_."

"I don't understand. Mishka said softly. "I... My brain is hurt. Is that why I don't understand?" She asked.

"No." The man said with a small smile. "You won't see it, Mishka. You are too close. But anyone else who sees you will. Can you call your mom? I warn you... She will be very upset."

"She... doesn't talk about you." Mishka said softly.

"Figured. I hurt her very badly when I left." The man said with a sigh. "I deserve her anger, but... I had something I had to do. A quest I have to finish." He held up the hand that was not holding Mishka's. "As soon as she enters, the door will lock and the soundproofing will activate."

"Will you hurt her?" Mishka begged. "Please don't."

"I won't." He grimaced. "She is far more likely to hurt _me_. And I _deserve_ it. But I can help. The music will not go away on its own. The Clergy do not just _let_ people go. That old bitch covers all the angles."

"She...seemed nice." Mishka said softly. "Was that a lie?"

"I don't know, Mishka." The man said quietly. "The thing about spies..." He shook his head. "Lying is their job. How do you know when a spy is lying? You _can't_. It is what they _do_. Maybe it was the truth. Maybe it wasn't. I don't know. You are alive and that is a good thing. But they put controls inside your mind. That is a bad thing. I think I can help your mom get rid of them. Which is also a good thing. But she will be _very_ angry with me. Call her? Please." He asked. "I swear to you, by Blood and by Steel, I will not harm her."

"I don't know why..." Mishka said softly. "But I believe you." She turned her head a bit and hit a switch with her chin. "Mom?"

"Mishka?" Iriana's voice from the intercom was concerned. "You are awake?"

"Yeah." Mishka said softly. "The music is... overpowering. I can't sleep."

"I will be there in a moment." Iriana promised. Mishka looked at the man sitting beside her and he smiled sadly as his free hand came up over her...and a green mist fell from it. Her eyes were huge as she fell asleep.

"I won't hurt her. And you don't want to hear this..." The man said softly as he laid Mishka's hand back down. He turned to the door as it opened and Iriana hustled in, her face worried.

"Mish-?" She asked, then her gaze landed on the man. She froze. "_You_..." She hissed.

"Hello Iriana." The man said as he rose from the chair. Iriana recoiled, slamming into the door that had closed behind her. "The door is locked and the soundproofing is activated."

"Of all the... lousy.. good for _nothing_..." Iriana snarled, then hit her com. "Security _**alert**__!_" She screamed. There was no response. She stared at her com and then at the bed. "What have you _done_, Kat?"

"I wanted to make sure we were not interrupted. She is asleep, no more." The man said calmly. "I wronged you, all those years ago. I should have gone back, said something. But I didn't. I wronged you. I wronged _her_." He sighed. "I can't undo what I did. But I can help now."

"Why now?" Iriana demanded. "_Now_ of all times?"

"I heard she was hurt. Programmed." Her one time mate said softly. "I have some... very odd contacts. One of them gave me a code that they swore was the command protocols for Mishka's programming." Iriana went still and the man nodded. "As soon as I got it, I knew I had to come."

"And what do I have to _pay_ for it?" Iriana snapped. "My _life_? My _heart_? My **_soul_**? You took _all_ of those when you _walked_, Kat."

"If it is the right code, you can help her and that is all I want." The man nodded at her dumbfounded expression. "Iriana, I was never a good person. You are. You helped me, you made me better. But you couldn't _save_ me. I couldn't stay with you when you kept the kid. I _couldn't_."

"_Why?_" Iriana screamed. "You never said why!"

"And I can't. I am sworn." The other replied. "Iriana, please... see if the code works. If it does, I walk _away_ and you _never_ see me again. I just... if I _can_ help, for _once_ in my _life_, I want to do the _right_ thing, _knowing_ it is the right thing. She is _your_ daughter, not mine. But... I don't want you hurt any more than you have been. Losing her to the Clergy _will_ hurt you. And you _are _losing her!" The entreaty in his voice was palpable.

"I..." Iriana shook her head. "Do you swear not to seek her out?"

"I swear it, Iriana." The other replied. "By Blood and by Steel, by the First and by the Code, I swear never to seek your daughter. I came to help. No more. She is _your_ daughter, not _mine_. I gave up any claim when I left. When I forced you to choose between her and me." His face split in a rueful grin. "You made the right choice."

"Give me the code." Iriana said fiercely. He held out a small piece of plastic with alphanumeric characters inscribed on it. She snatched it and glanced at it, most of her focus on the male Tenno who remained still. "This... looks right. How did you get this?"

"You do not want to know." The Tenno she called Kat replied. "No one will come after you though. If anything... they will come after _me_." He snorted in sour humor. "And if they _do?_ I wish them luck."

"They will need it." Iriana said slowly. "I... looked for you...after."

"I know." Kat replied. "Iriana, you have a life, a family and people who love you. I... am not who you needed. What I did was wrong. But you are stronger for it. Help your daughter."

They both jumped as the door suddenly cracked inward, the head of a massive hammer showing as someone slammed the Fragor through the door.

"_**IRIANA!**_" Karl screamed as he hit the door again.

"Ah hell... I did love you, Iriana." The male Tenno said as he knelt. "Part of me always _will_." Iriana's eyes went huge as his form was suddenly encased in red and black armor and _Stalker_... vanished in puff of black smoke.

The door gave way under the infuriated Rhino's smashing and he ran into the room, Nikis and others of his clan hot on his heels. The Rhino stared around and then darted to where Iriana stood, staring at where Stalker had just been.

"Iriana!" Karl snapped as Alicia moved to check Mishka. "Are you okay?"

"No." Iriana said, her eyes streaming tears now. "No, I am _not_..."

"How did he get _in_ here?" Nikis snapped. "What did he _do?_"

"He gave me this..." Iriana clutched the plastic. "He... said it was the code to Mishka's programming."

"He _what?_" The incredulous chorus went around the room.

"He said... His name was... Katsler..." Iriana said, her mouth hanging open. "I called him Kat... He... I..."

"Iriana..." Nikis said slowly. "You knew him." It wasn't a question. He pulled her into a gentle embrace as Alicia moved to scan her.

"Yeah..." Iriana swallowed hard and then she was sobbing as Nikis held her. "He is Mishka's _dad_."

"Oh... _shit_..." Another chorus.

**Titan**

Janet lay in her pool and sighed. This was not going to be fun. She focused hard and pushed her mind elsewhere. She wasn't as practiced making virtual environments as a Tenno would be, but it was functional, if not pretty. Then she wasn't alone.

'...and you didn't _bother_ to tell us?" Serene was not -quite- screaming. Nikis was swearing up a storm as Karl and Alicia both stood, glaring at Iriana who stood in the middle of the group, sobbing. "What the-...?" The female Tenno said as she realized that she and the others had been yanked into a virtual world.

"Shut _up_, Serene." Janet said fiercely as she strode to where Iriana was crying. Here, she had no physical limitations. It was all in the mind and her mind was powerful. She pulled the healer into a hug and held her as Iriana sobbed. "She didn't _know_. Neither did _I_. Not until just _now_. He hides from _my_ sight almost as cleanly as he hides from _yours_." All of the other Tenno froze at that. "Iriana... Hey..." She rubbed the sobbing Healer's healer gently. "It's okay. It's okay, Healer."

"He... Mishka's dad... is _Stalker_..." Iriana sobbed into Janet's shoulder. "It is _not_ okay! Hurting me... was one thing! But..._that?_" Serene stared from Janet to Iriana and back, her face a study of shock. Then it changed to compassion.

"You have had a hell of a shock, Iriana." Janet said quietly. "Seeing your mate again after so long was bad enough. But that..." She hugged the sobbing Healer tight.

"He... He left..." Iriana could not stop crying. "I looked for him. He was... so hurt. I helped, but..."

"What happened, Iriana?" Nikis sounded... No, not calm. No, he sounded genuinely worried. For her.

"It was..." Irina was calming under Janet's soft touch. "Twenty years ago. He told us to call him 'Kat'. We found him, at the colony. Obviously a Warrior. Hurt. Bad. It took him years to recover from his injuries. There was an investigation, but no one could figure out where he came from. He said he was sworn not to say. I was... a student. Not even an intern. We met... we talked. He was nice..." She bowed her head "...and he is _**Stalker**__!_" She screamed. No one else spoke as Janet soothed her again. "He... I..."

"You talked." Nikis said softly. "And it went further." Iriana did not reply, just buried her face in Janet's shoulder, screaming out her rage and frustration. Janet just held her. "Then Mishka came and the deadbeat _left_." He sighed. "And I thought I hated him _before_."

"I didn't _know_..." Iriana sobbed.

"How _could_ you?" Serene asked softly as she stepped closer, her hand moving to Iriana's arm, stroking it gently. "I am sorry, Iriana. I was afraid for you. Then... So angry."

"Not as angry as _I_ am!" Iriana snapped. "That... That lying _cheating_ piece of _crap_! I... He just _leaves_ and then bam he is _back_! I..." She shook herself savagely. "Janet... I..."

"The code is legit." Janet said quietly. Her words silenced the room. "It will allow access to the programming in Mishka's mind. All of it. It will take time to remove the programming, but you will be able to."

"How did he get it?" Karl asked slowly.

"He ambushed the Reverend Mother and he wasn't gentle." Janet said dryly. Everyone stared at her and she snorted. "Yeah. I can't tell if she meant well or if it was a plot. With her? It could have been either. Or _both_. My own feelings are messed up about her. But only a fool trusts her. Even her agents know that. She is pragmatism personified."

"She pulled information from Mishka, didn't she?" Iriana said into the silence that fell. Janet nodded. "I... I am sorry..."

"For _what?_" Nikis demanded. "That you didn't put an _anti-interrogation protocol_ inside your _kid_? Iriana, what happened to Mishka is _not_ your fault. We will deal with this." He patted her arm a bit awkwardly.

"How?" Iriana swallowed hard. "I mean... if she knows about Avalon..."

"Knowing about it and _getting to it_ are two _completely_ different things." Karl said as he relaxed. "Right now, focus on Mishka, Iriana. We will handle the rest as it happens. Tend your daughter. _Your_ daughter. Not his."

"He said the same." Iriana said weakly. "I... part of me wanted him back. Still does... I... But... he..." She was crying again. "We can't keep this quiet, can we?"

"No." Nikis said sadly. "It will get out sooner or later. And when it does... Mishka will be vulnerable."

"No, she won't." Janet said fiercely. "Nikis... Jasmina and Elenia have offered. Even Stalker steps carefully around those two. And _you_." She said with a smile. He snorted agreement. "So take them up on it. Mishka is Tenno, she can ward her mind. Not be subsumed. They can keep her from being infected while she heals. She will need help coming to terms with this... sudden revelation. So will you, Iriana." Iriana just bowed her head. "You need a vacation _anyway_. Spend it with your daughter." The others looked at her and she flushed. "This is not the Oracle speaking. This is a _woman_ who _was_ a _mother_. Please, Iriana, don't give in. We need you. We all do."

"_Janet_..." Iriana buried her face in Janet's shoulder again, sobbing.

"Go on, Iriana." Janet said kindly. "Go tend your daughter. But know this, you are not alone anymore. You are not a single mom struggling to make ends meet and raise your daughter right anymore. You have friends and family."

She hugged Iriana again and then let the healer go. Serene and Nikis took her. Both nodded to Janet and then they vanished. Karl and Alicia bowed to the Oracle and then they too vanished.

Only after they were gone, did Janet speak again.

"A father's love can be no less strong than a mother's, if often expressed differently." Her words were calm, but her eyes were flashing. "Show yourself." She did not react as a part of the wall came alive.

"You knew I was here the whole time." Stalker said calmly. "You left it open. Why?"

"Because you needed to hear that. I am only going to say this _once_." Janet might have been carved from stone. "You _will_ leave them alone. Iriana and Mishka have suffered. And now they _will_ suffer because of you." Stalker nodded. Janet scoffed. "I trust you as far as I trust the Reverend Mother. _Not at all_. _She_ is a Machiavellian witch and _you_? _You_ are on a one way trip to _hell_. Your 'vengeance' will only -_can only_- end one way." Stalker nodded again.

"I know." Stalker replied, still calm. "But... It wasn't meant to be that way. I had simply planned on looking. I wondered if any of my quarry were in that colony. None were. I never planned... on being hurt so badly. On finding her. Or any of the rest of this. But Mishka needed help." He sighed. "You have my word, Oracle. By Blood and by Steel. Iriana and Mishka will never see me again by my own actions. They are not my targets. They never were."

"Good." Janet retorted. "Because if they _do_ see you again? It would take effort, but I _can_ find you no matter _how_ well you hide. And _when_ I do? I will tell _Sun_ and _Nikis_ where." No threat this. A solemn promise.

"Understood. For what it is worth? Thank you, Oracle." Stalker bowed to her, formally. Then he vanished.

Janet sighed as she returned to her body. "Wasn't _that_ fun...?" She stretched what she could and then threw her mind across time and space.

_Lotus, I need to talk to Eliza. We have a problem..._

**Elsewhere**

"Master, are you well?" The young acolyte was worried, but she controlled herself well. Stood to reason. Novices without control did not survive long. Not here, not now.

"I am well." The Tenno in robes said as he rose from his meditation. "We have... some difficulties ahead of us. Did they arrive?"

"Yes, Master." The acolyte said with a gulp. "They are... changing... Some things shouldn't happen. Not even to Red Veil scum." And what they were changing _into_...

"I _warned_ the Council that angering the Caretakers was a bad idea, but no... they had to find out on their own... Pushing the Red Veil to attack the Clergy was a _mistake_." The robed Tenno sighed and patted her arm. "Go on, get back to class." She bowed and darted off. He shook his head. She was so like Mishka in some ways, but... not. Mishka was not... would not follow the girl's path. He was glad.

He stretched a little as he walked, the odd helmet on his head was off putting as always. The... flanges were... He had never liked the two huge flanges on either side of the helmet. Decorative, to be sure, but _useless_ for anything else. In a fight, they would be dangerous, pulling enemy blows towards vulnerable areas instead of deflecting them away. He nodded to the others as he strode into the main hall.

"My personal business is done." He said formally. "I request to rejoin the Council."

"Take your place, Arbiter Kat." The High Arbiter said formally. "Welcome back. We have much to discuss. Much justice to dispense."

_Oh, you have __**no idea**__..._ Stalker smiled inwardly as he knelt in his assigned place in the Arbiters of Hexis HQ. As a _member_ of their High Council.

_No idea at __**all**__..._

* * *

><p><strong>Katsler was an anagram of Stalker. Small wonder Iriana called him 'Kat'<strong>


End file.
